My Child’s Federal Sentencing

UPDATE May 2023

Anna’s federal sentencing didn’t go quite as expected. 

Her attorney actually convinced the judge that she was accepted into a year-long treatment program.  He told the judge that the first 9 months was in the facility, with no ability to leave, then after 9 months there would be a step down over the next few months where she would receive help to get a job and eventually find an apartment and move out.

It sounded great, and I was truly excited for her when the judge went ahead and sentenced her to that facility instead of years in federal prison.  Unfortunately though, immediately I found out that this program didn’t actually exist yet.  She was going into a treatment facility, but there were no limits on when she could and couldn’t leave, and she could move out as soon as she was ready.

Of course, she was ready a few weeks later and moved into my mother’s home.  The never-ending enabling started again.  And shortly after she moved back in with her grandmother, she started having some “slip-ups.”  Thankfully, she was under federal and state probation, and when the dirty UA came in they gave her another chance.

That was eventually enough to wake her up.  Today she lives a pretty normal life.  She works for the treatment facility that she went to in the billing department.  I have to say, I’m once again extremely proud of her and everything she has done to overcome this addiction.  She is very active in NA (narcotics anonymous) and AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), and basically has replaced her drug addiction with an addiction to recovery.  And I’m okay with that!

November 2019

Hi Friends. Anxiety is eating me alive today. My daughter Anna, the kid’s mother, will be sentenced in Federal Court this week. I have been dreading this for months, and at the same time anxiously awaiting the answers we have all been waiting for. She has pleaded guilty and has taken a plea deal of 10 years. My understanding is that the judge can give her up to 10 years, but has the ability to issue less of a sentence.

Anna has requested and has been recommended by a mental health provider to go to a local treatment center. This is a large part of my anxiety. I love this child wholeheartedly and want the absolute best for her. I can’t help but think if she “only” gets treatment at a local facility, will this be enough to keep her from going back to the behavior that landed her in jail to begin with?

If she gets treatment, she will be in the same town that she got trouble in. The same town those friends are in that walked with her down this destructive path. The same town as her grandmother, her enabler, who continues to this day to tell her she did nothing wrong; that the blame is completely on her ex-husband who walked out on her and her kids.

Does it make me a horrible mother to want more than that for her? To my core, I know she desperately needs treatment and counseling. I’m not sure she will get that if she goes to prison, but I’m not sure that staying in the same town with all the dysfunction will provide her the mental capacity to accept the counseling and treatment.

I’ll update you after sentencing later this week. Please pray for God’s will for my daughter. I’m praying for your peace as always.

Photo by Denis Oliveira on UnsplashCopy