I wouldn't be here...

3 years ago I got into a high speed police chase with VSP, I was apprehended in Culpeper County so state troppers booked me into Culpeper County Jail. If you’re from Virginia you know how southern Culpeper is, nothing really exciting happens in that town, police and prosecutors are bored. I was wrong, I got hit with the max sentence of 5 years for Felony Eluding. To this day I regret not buying my own lawyer, the plea deal was 4 years and 9 months suspended for 3 months in jail with 2 years of probation. Culpeper county is one of the only county that puts marijuana as a special condition to not do even if you’re medically prescribed, you will be violated and have the suspended time revoked and possibly reinstated. I’m currently on my second violation of probation, first time was for smoking (granted I shouldn’t have knowing the rules) and second was for a reckless driving (In VA that’s a misdemeanor) bringing back a charge is a big issue in Culpeper, both occasions I had to be jailed for a month, even though my guidelines were 3 months to a Year. I did my best to stay out of trouble but they don’t see my track record. Common wealth doesn’t seem to care how I was doing prior to the charge, they just see a black man I think idk. I feel like the system played me but this is my consequence to deal with. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for then but all I can do is get better and stay out of trouble. In Jail I’ve met some of the best people, in the same boat trying their best to get off of probation. All they wanted to do was go back home and work. DOJ investigated Culpeper county but the sheriff was pardoned by Trump before the sentencing.. There isn’t any correlation, I think it was something about money missing and goofy shit. I personally think DOJ needs to open another investigation, I solely believe Culpeper makes a lot of money from their jail, they sell us like trading cards to other jails if we aren’t spending enough on phone time/ commisary.. The jail is packed with probation violation offenses, I heard the dumbest shit about what people did to get a violation. Suspended license, traffic tickets, smoking. When I turned myself in to Fairfax the magistrate tried to give me a bond, says he sees no reason to keep me locked up but since the capias warrant says no bond he had no choice. Said his hands were tied, even the arresting officers could tell I wasn’t a threat, they could see I was hard working and didn’t want no trouble. It was really hard to even explain to them why I was in their cuffs. They do just get a warrant that says felony eluding, no back story. Imagine having 4-5 officers arresting you because they think you’re running. It’s embarrassing, maybe when your 16-18 getting arrested seems cool but it gets real embarrassing at my age 24. I’m free now they restarted my 2 year probation, 2028 I should be good. They added 5 years good behavior with it so technically I’ll be good in 2031… My mistakes haunt me to this day smh, can’t really work anywhere as a felon. Private security was my career path and I had to kiss it goodbye. I can’t go back but I can tell the youth this isn’t something you want. Piss testing and being watched through a lil window.. Getting arrested for traffic violations because you’re on probation. Make the right decisions, and always get a lawyer..