Jeremy’s story is one of transformation and purpose. After years spent in and out of the justice system, he turned his experiences into a foundation for helping others rebuild their lives. From early struggles with addiction and incarceration to earning degrees and leading recovery programs, Jeremy’s journey shows that change is possible. Jeremy now works in recovery and justice reform, which helps others move forward with dignity and hope.
A Life in Motion
Jeremy grew up in Arizona, during the construction boom. Beneath the surface of his hardworking family, he experienced difficulties that would shape much of his early life. Jeremy’s grandfather, who helped raise him while his parents worked, died when Jeremy was still young. Shortly after, Jeremy’s parents got divorced. Jeremy also struggled in school. He was restless and full of energy, and teachers labeled him as trouble. Diagnosed with ADHD, he was prescribed medication that never seemed to fit. He acted out regularly, and his behavior escalated as the years went by.
By age 14, Jeremy had found a new form of escape: marijuana. He began hanging around older teens who showed him how to steal cars. The thrill of freedom and rebellion replaced his sense of direction. School quickly faded into the background. His mother, exhausted and worried, eventually sent him to live with his father. But the move didn’t slow him down. By 15, Jeremy had dropped out of school completely.
In his late teens, Jeremy cycled through rehabilitation programs and treatment facilities before aging out of the system at 17. Each program treated symptoms, not the deeper things driving them. Each time, Jeremy returned to the world without a clear sense of who he wanted to become.
Early Adulthood and a Growing Record
At 18, Jeremy was arrested for the first time. A single ounce of marijuana introduced him to the criminal justice system, which would define his twenties. What should have been a minor offense led to years of probation, jail time, and mounting fines. Jeremy worked at Wendy’s, then Blockbuster Video, then as a bartender. He started a courier business delivering blueprints and mortgage documents, trying to build something honest.
When his courier business hit financial trouble, Jeremy made a decision that would alter his life. He agreed to transport marijuana across state lines to make quick money, and was arrested by the DEA. The arrest was an important part of a long descent into further crime and substance abuse. Cocaine and alcohol became daily companions, and Jeremy’s life spiraled. By his mid-twenties, Jeremy had accumulated five felony convictions. In 2007, he was sentenced to a twelve year prison term.
Life Behind Bars for Jeremy
Prison forced Jeremy into self-reflection. The early years were violent and uncertain. He was incarcerated with his brother, which made time more bearable, but the environment was harsh. He witnessed fights, addiction, and eventually a murder. These moments stripped away illusions and left him face-to-face with his choices.
One day, when Jeremy was alone in a tiny shower cell, he fell to his knees, overwhelmed by the realization that his life had been shaped by self-hatred. That moment became a spiritual turning point. He decided to change.
Jeremy called that day his “moment of clarity.” He began to study recovery programs and behavioral health. He found mentors among other incarcerated men who believed in rehabilitation. Together, they built peer-led classes and informal therapy groups that focused on values, discipline, and self-respect. Jeremy’s days became structured around purpose. He worked out, read, studied, and taught others what he was learning about relapse prevention and recovery. The energy that once got Jeremy into trouble now had a direction.
Education and Peer Leadership
Over the next several years, Jeremy earned an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science and multiple certifications in substance-use counseling and community re-entry. He joined the first cohort of incarcerated people in Arizona to become certified Recovery Support Specialists. He helped launch the Second Chance Reentry Program, an initiative that brought structure and hope to people nearing release.
Jeremy found his calling through learning and growth. He learned that helping others was a key part of his own healing journey. Even after his release, he has maintained a focus on helping others.
Reentry and Rebuilding Life
Jeremy took the lessons he learned in prison and started to develop and expand programs connected to recovery and justice reform. He was able to work closely with several organizations, and eventually held leadership positions. Jeremy has been able to create a lasting and positive impact, all while building and improving his own life.
How Jeremy Started a Career in Recovery and Justice Reform
On November 18 2021, after more than 15 years of incarceration, Jeremy was released from prison. By this point he was over 13 years sober, but re-entry was intimidating. Still, he was determined to take the things he’d learned from his own recovery and work in prison and begin building a career.
Jeremy’s professional journey began in peer support. He worked at Northsight Recovery, where he learned the clinical and administrative sides of behavioral health. Mentors guided him as he moved from peer support to case management to admissions. Each role gave him a new view of the recovery process and how to build systems that actually help people succeed.
After Northsight, Jeremy became the Director of Justice Integration for Sanctuary Recovery Centers, one of Arizona’s leading treatment organizations. In that role, Jeremy helped create bridges between treatment programs and the justice system. He worked with probation departments, courts, and state agencies to design programs that offered people second chances instead of endless punishment.
Jeremy’s work led to major accomplishments, including securing a government contract to expand treatment and diversion programs. Under his leadership, Sanctuary developed partnerships that allowed youth and adults in the justice system to access treatment and peer support. Jeremy’s story, once defined by incarceration, had come full circle.
How Jeremy Broke Cycles and Built a Future
Jeremy’s journey represents more than personal redemption: it symbolizes generational change. Addiction has affected the men in his family for nearly a century. He has chosen to end that pattern. When asked what Jeremy plans to do in his future, he shared that he plans to complete a bachelor’s program and become the first man in his family to earn a college degree. His academic work focuses on behavioral health and justice reform, fields where his experience gives him deep insight.
At home, Jeremy finds meaning in simple things: a morning routine, a walk with his partner Marlo, a quiet evening spent reflecting on how far he’s come. Each day of freedom is a reminder of the value of patience and perseverance. His life now serves as a model for others who are reentering society after incarceration. Jeremy’s story also serves as a reminder that change is possible through courage and consistent action.
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This story is part of our #1in3 campaign, a project to end the stigma and raise awareness of how common it is to have a criminal record.
1 in 3 Americans has a criminal record, which is a lot more common than people think. No one expects to be involved in the justice system, but it can happen to anyone. People of all ages, backgrounds, genders, and income-levels are involved in the justice system. Their pathways vary, but the barriers of a record affect them all. Our hope is that by sharing their portraits and telling their stories, we can change the way people think about people with records and appreciate them for all they have overcome.
