“Forever Linked – Jason, The Man & Inmate A350842”

Hello, my name is Jason, also Ohio Inmate #a350842. I have to start with stating both my name and inmate number because many people have a hard time separating the two. Many people prejudge me because of the inmate number that’s attached to my name, refusing to take the time or chance to get to know Jason, the man first. They also will search the Ohio DRC (Department of Rehabilitation and Correction) to see what crime I’m in prison for, by the way it’s Murder and Robbery. However, the DRC doesn’t list the details of what really happened, just like when some people Google my name. The Search Result only lists the media’s snippets and sound bites, again not what really happened. It doesn’t include this: What actually happened, landing me in prison. LOYALTY is the short answer. I’m in prison for Murder and Robbery. The long version of what actually happened is my then 17 year old nephew by marriage, tried to rob someone’s home and they interrupted him, a struggle ensued and he ended up killing them. He called me in a panic and asked me to help him hide the body, which I stupidly did. A year later he lied and told the police I was the person that killed them, so he could collect the reward money and receive NO jail time. I take responsibility for helping him hide the bodies, it wasn’t right and I regret it every single day. I’m no angel but I’m NOT a killer, I have been working for years on being granted an appeal for a new trial, in order to get this thrown out and set free or at least a sentence reduction. As there were many errors, mistakes, and corruption in my my case. All the years of hard work have paid off, as I now have a pending Appeal in the United States Federal Court System.

Over the years friends and family started to see only the number and forgot the person, and slow began to fade from my life. As they too couldn’t separate Jason from Inmate A350842. Keep in mind these were people who knew me, the man before I became an inmate. I believe that we all go through challenges and struggles in life but what we learn and how we grow, is what’s important. Just like I believe that we should be defined by who we are now, not who we were in the past or the mistakes we made. As I’m DEFINITELY not the same man I was 23 years ago, is anyone the same person they were 23 years ago?

I would love if people could and would separate, Jason, the Man and Inmate #350842, however I’ve come to the realization that the two will forever be linked together. Just as I know it will cause me to lose possible new friendships and long term relationships, because they won’t take the opportunity to get to know Jason first. Rather they will just see that linked inmate number and judge me because of that. Please do not allow a search result to define who someone is. Get to know me first.