Jesse Crosson was sentenced to serve 138 years with 106 suspended for the robbery and nonfatal shooting he committed in Virginia just after his 18th birthday. His life seemed over.

Starting in the jail, though, he pursued an education, worked to tutor and mentor others, and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree as well as a journeyman’s electrical license. He helped start a peer support mental health program and wrote articles for national publications.

After 19 years Governor Ralph Northam granted Jesse a conditional pardon, saying that society would be better off with him in it.

Since his release in August of 2021, Jesse has built a strong social media presence, started the Second Chancer Foundation to connect incarcerated people with mentors, and spoken nationally about his story as well as commonsense reforms that need to be made.

He is now traveling the country, exploring his freedom, and seeing where he can be most useful in moving the conversation forward.