Ronald Lewis was standing on a street with his brother, who was selling drugs. When police were approaching, Lewis warned his brother. Both were arrested. That minor, almost reflexive reaction, led to Lewis sharing a drug possession charge with his brother as well as charges of being an instrument of a crime.
His lawyer advised him that he could win a trial. Later, that advice became a plea offer. Without being tried, Lewis accepted a B-class misdemeanor conviction, served no time in prison and was released from probation early for steady compliance.
That was 10 years ago. Lewis, now 34, feels he is paying again for his past mistake.
“I paid that lawyer $10,000…I didn’t know what [the deal] entailed. I didn’t know the impact it would have on my life,” he says. After going through the criminal justice system, Lewis entered a vocational program and earned an engineering license.
He says, “I thought life would begin for me…but I have had so many doors slammed in my face, I know what wood tastes like.”
According to a new report from the Center for American Progress, as many as one in three Americans has a criminal record. Despite being commonplace, this status can cause lifelong socioeconomic challenges.
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