Meet Michael John…

I was going in Target and Walmart stores to steal electronics. To support my addiction. 

Incarcerated: 8 years
Housed: Augusta Correctional Center; Craigsville, Virginia

I was going in Target and Walmart stores to steal electronics. To support my addiction. At 14, I broke my arm in a dirt bike accident. Little did I know, I would become dependent on the painkillers. It led to me stealing and robbing, doing whatever to get high. I did jail time off and on since I was 16. After my first release, It wasn’t two hours after I walked out of prison that I found myself buying heroin. The pills were too expensive. Within a month my habit was up to four to five grams a day. Once, I was shot in the back of the head and it came out in front of my ear. By the grace of God, I’m still here. When I first started this prison sentence I was 24 years old. Still young and hard-headed. It took me until I was 30, to wake up and realize I’m getting too old for this lifestyle, plus I lost my little brother to an overdose. It’s a shame. It took this sentence and losing my brother to wake up and grow up. I’m going on four years this August without touching a pill or heroin. And that’s a miracle. I’d like to thank the Humans of San Quentin and my family for supporting me. Thank you and God bless you.