How One Arizona Man Used His Incarceration To Help Others

Hopefully, you've never been to prison. It's effectively a life-ender. Even when you get out, if you're lucky enough to, re-entering society is no easy task.

Many ex-inmates find it hard to find work, meaningful connections, and a path to a productive life. One Arizona man, however, isn't taking his newfound freedom for granted.

292 Years

In 2015, Mohave resident Atdom Patsalis was tried and convicted on 25 counts of theft. Over the past 10 months, he had committed a string of robberies that hit nearly 20 homes, while never being caught by the owners. Patsalis was struggling with drug addiction at the time, and just needed an outlet. He chose the wrong one.

Patsalis was sentenced to 292 years in prison. A massive punishment for a non-violent crime. The judge at the time wanted to make a point: that you couldn't harm that many people's livelihood and only get one sentence.

Three life sentences though, might be a bit much.

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Read More: How an Arizona Dog Beat Death to Find His New Family

A Second Chance

Patsalis' case was finally revisited this year, nine years after his initial sentence. After years of fighting for a more fair punishment, he was granted his wish. On Thursday, September 19th, Atdom Patsalis was officially a free man, and he's not letting this second chance go.

He hopes to begin working in corporate real estate, but more importantly, he wants to share his story. He hopes that others that were wrongfully imprisoned see that there is a chance at re-entry to society, and he wants to provide them with any opportunity they can. He plans on partnering with the Arizona Justice Project, a project helping wrongful inmates get a chance at their well-deserved freedom.

[NBC12][AZ Justice Project]