06 Aug 08

Max’s Success Story

Max - A car-jacking Chukchansi Indian who entered prison as a teenager and went home to Las Vegas in 2007. His sexual adventures in prison include trading semen to an old pervert for commissary items.

I recently called Max in Las Vegas.
“When you first came out of prison was it difficult finding a job?” I asked.
“For my first three months, I was working various jobs for like seven bucks an hour, dude. I couldn’t get a good job. The criminal record hindered me, and the lack of verifiable work experience.”
“Then what happened?”
“I went to a temp agency, and the owner took a shine to me, man. He literally gave me a break. I had someone looking over me. I get chills thinking about it. He hired me, and promoted me after I got a BA in Business Administration. Now I’ve got my own car, my own place in the best part of Vegas – the Green Valley, Anthem area. It’s been a very good ride. I haven’t had no run-ins with the law.”
“How’s parole?”
“I just go in once a month, pay him a forty-dollar fee. I don’t even get drug tested. He came to my graduation, and he literally has a picture of me in his office.”
“How come?”
“I’m a model ex con, I guess.”
“How're you finding your relations with other people?”
“Nobody I come into contact with ever guesses I was in prison. And, England, get this: guess what my salary is buddy?”
“Three to four thou a month?”
“Way way wrong. I’m on one-hundred-and-thirty-five grand a year.”
“That’s incredible! Doing what?”
“I’m a headhunter. I find people jobs for companies like IBM, Starbucks, MGM.”
“What was your last paycheck?”
“Seventy-eight hundred on Tuesday.”
“How many hours are you putting in?”
“Sometimes twenty, sometimes fifty. I play on the computer a lot.”
“How did you get such a high-power job so fast?”
“I worked for him for a week at seven dollars an hour moving furniture. He offered me an office job, and said if I do good for six months he’ll promote me. I got my degree in March –”
“Hold up, how could you get a degree within a year of your release?”
“I already had the college credits done in prison. I only had to take six classes. Finance 501. Some shit like that. Politics. Nevada Title.”
“So he promoted you from what to what?”
“I was a staff coordinator. I sat in the office dispatching employees, setting up new accounts, dealing with payrolls. He promoted me to staff consultant. I meet with various customers. I was in New York last week with a V.A.R. for IBM.”
“V.A.R.?”
“Valued Asset Representative.”
“This is one of the most amazing post-release stories I’ve heard.”
“I’ve got myself a nice little ride, man, the dream car I always wanted. A four-door Jeep Wrangler. Twenty-eight grand off the lot, paid cash.”
“How’s your love life?”
“I might sound like a whore. I haven’t found one special person. It’s thirty-five plus women since I’ve been out. One bad thing I picked up in prison is the lack of emotional attachment. I’ve come across some great women. They wanted to move forward, do the boyfriend-girlfriend thing, but it’s not me.”
“What do you do on the weekends?”
“I generally go San Diego. Surfing and swimming.”
“How’s Mom?”
“Mom’s really proud of me.”
“Have you felt discriminated against because you’ve been in prison?”
“I haven’t had to deal with that. I’ve changed my attitude, the way I talk. I wear tailored suits every day: Armani and Cassini.”
“I’m proud you’ve accomplished so much, Max. You’ve come along way from carjacking someone at gunpoint and serving eight years. Where do you go from here?”
“Even higher. I wanna be VP, making that five-to-six-million-a-year salary. My company is nationwide. I can go anywhere. I met a woman from Cheshire in Vegas, and I’d like to come and visit you and her next year.”
“You’re always welcome. That’d make you the first of the prisoners I write about to come to England. It’s sad that most prisoners I saw get out, came right back to prison.”
“I love life, man. I don’t ever wanna go back to that fucking place. Why would anyone put themselves in jeopardy to go back there?”

Is there any chance Max will end up back in prison?


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