In August 2023, I took a bold chance at reducing my prison sentence. After serving 11 years of a 30-year sentence, I meticulously compiled a 71-page portfolio addressed to the prosecutor who had overseen my case. Sending this portfolio was a long shot. The prosecutor has a very tough reputation. I did not expect him to support a sentence reduction. But I knew people’s minds can change.
I wanted the portfolio to demonstrate how committed I’ve been to personal growth. I included character letters, certificates of achievement and education, and a comprehensive one-year reentry plan.
I have taken every self-improvement class my state prison system offers and facilitated my own. I’ve completed programs from two colleges and earned personal trainer and nutritionist certifications.
My reentry plan included basic things, like taking a driver’s test, and my plans for securing and maintaining employment and reconnecting with my two teenage children.
As I sealed the portfolio envelope, I felt heavy uncertainty about how the prosecutor would receive it.
Two weeks later, I was brushing my teeth one morning when I noticed a piece of mail wedged along the cell door. With toothpaste still in my mouth, I read the letter in dim light.
The prosecutor who had aggressively advocated for my 30-year sentence wrote:
“Dear Mr. Williams, I received your letter and packet of information. Thank you for sending it. I remember you and your case very clearly. I am very impressed with all of your accomplishments since you have been incarcerated. It is very rare to see such an impressive list of achievements given where you started 11 years ago. You should be very proud of yourself for making such positive changes in your life! I am writing to let you know I intend to support your effort for an early release!”
I re-read that line 10 times to make sure I wasn’t trippin’. This unexpected compassion was profoundly moving. Tears streamed down my face.
Get ‘robbing out of your system’
I was arrested for the first time at age 13.
Back then, I was reliant on robbing, stealing and scheming to meet my basic needs. The vast majority of people around me were too. These choices were as normal as getting dressed each day. If you weren’t doing those things, we thought you were the police.
I was in survival mode. Abraham Maslow talks about this in his hierarchy of needs: If you do not advance past the realms of food, shelter, clothing or safety, nothing else matters.
Self-actualization, living by values, striving for something higher — all of that felt irrelevant.
But when I received my 30-year sentence around the age of 19, it shook me to my core.
At the time of sentencing, my prosecutor was firm. The first plea offer was 50 years, then 40 to 50 years. After months of bargaining, the state offered a 30-year deal.
The prosecutor said he was offering me 30 years because by the time I was eligible for parole, “Robbing would be out of [my] system.” When I wrote to him recently, I reminded him of those words and showed him I had reached that point far sooner than he expected.
What came next
Soon after I received the prosecutor’s letter, loved ones helped me hire a lawyer, Jonathan Reppucci. He quickly began negotiating a resentencing process.
In April 2024, we had a hearing, for which Reppucci filed my whole portfolio so the judge could see all I had accomplished.
Two months after the hearing, the judge ruled to reduce my sentence, citing my exemplary conduct and the prosecutor’s support. It became clear that without the prosecutor’s backing, this wouldn’t have been possible.
Then we hit obstacles, as often happens. Because I had been convicted of a crime of violence, I couldn’t apply the time-served credits I’d earned from good behavior and rehabilitation. But the prosecutor took an open-minded approach yet again, acknowledged an error he made in my original plea, and made a new plea agreement with reduced charges.
When PJP editors asked Reppucci in an email about the rarity of this, he said, “The resentencing was certainly somewhat unusual, but I was not surprised. Taveuan is an extremely inspirational and positive person.”
Reppucci credits this outcome to “the tremendous power of positivity and redemption, the willingness of dedicated people in the criminal justice system, including the prosecutors involved who served as ministers of justice, working together to obtain a fair and just result, and mostly to Taveuan himself and his incredible spirit.”
“Taveuan did the work and he will continue to do the work when he gets out,” Reppucci said. “I’m very lucky to have him in my life, and we will be friends forever.”
A new chapter
I was originally eligible for parole in 2031, but with the sentence reduction, I will be eligible in 2026. I’ll be cleared for community corrections nine months before my parole eligibility date. Community corrections in Colorado is transitional housing between incarceration and parole, where you are still monitored but can go to work, acquire essentials like clothes and a state ID, and earn passes to visit family on weekends.
There is no guarantee I will get community corrections or parole. But my resume and strong support system give me a strong chance.
My prosecutor even wrote a letter of support on my behalf, greatly boosting my chances.
I’m eager to contribute positively to the community I once harmed. I want to be an agent of change in my community, an example for my children and a source of inspiration. I’m committed to building a national speaking brand to help at-risk youth, advocate for social justice and show people that transformation is possible.
The prosecutor has expressed interest in collaborating with me to help at-risk youth in Denver. I’m excited to take part in that potential effort. I want to use my own experiences and struggles as a tool to teach, uplift and empower.
My ambitions are lofty, but they come from a place of deep purpose. My journey illustrates that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, compassion and belief in the possibility of change can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
