Angie Jenkins – Serving 30 Years Received Clemency

Angie Jenkins, #10 on the Top 25 Women Received Clemency on 12/18/2015.  We are so happy for Angie and her family. Angie was featured in this article in Truth Out.org on 9/11/2015 entitled: Mothers Serving Long-Term Drug Sentences Call for Clemency.  Apparently, someone listened!  She was released on 12/29/2015 and is currently in the half-way house.  CAN-DO donated $500 to Angie to go towards a computer. If anyone would like to help Angie build her life back, we can put you in touch with her.   Please enjoy this video of Angie re-uniting with her family. 

angie_jenkins_clemency_lgAngie Jenkins

Age: 50
Race: Native American/Hispanic/French
Children: 1 daughter, 1 son
Spouse: Wayne Jenkins (Passed away in federal custody on 08/28/2008)
DOB: 09/16/64
Date of Arrest: 11/10/96
Date of Conviction: 02/28/98
Date of Sentence: 09/28/98
Charge: Conspiracy to Manufacture, Posses, Distribute Methamphetamine
Sentence: 30 years
Served: almost 18 yrs
Prison Conduct: Role model inmate – perfect conduct
Clemency: Petition has been filed through Clemency Project 2014, currently pending.
Supporters: Retired Federal Prosecutor, Retired Detective/arresting officer, and Federal Magistrate Judge

Accomplishments:

Since my incarceration I have been involved in many educational classes, programs, and group activities, here are a few of them in general:

  • Completed GED
  • Las Positas College /graphic arts
  • Computer classes/Exel/WordPerfect
  • 10 key/Keyboarding
  • Worked and trained for Suicide Prevention Program
  • Choices Program –  spoke to troubled teens
  • Threshold – 6 month Chapel Program
  • Fitness /Wellness classes
  • Hobby Craft classes/ leather, painting, knitting, card making crocheting and doll making.
  • Completed various Bible Courses
  • Volunteered and formed with other inmates Bible Study Groups, prayer groups, and for 6 years held  a monthly fellowship group for the other inmate women.
  • Participated in Holiday decorating for housing unit. Through out the years.
  • Volunteered to teach Beginning Acrylic Paint classes for 3 years
  • Taught Doll Making classes
  • Painted Large canvas’ for Waseca FCI, now displayed on the Institution walls

Case History:

Angie struggled with drug use in her past, was a single parent with two children and was desperately seeking stability.  She wanted to change her lifestyle.  At first her marriage to Buck, a roofer, was just that. Angie went back to school to get her GED, took college courses in accounting and applied for classes to take the state licensing test for roofing so they could operate a licensed roofing company.  Buck’s employer filed bankruptcy he lost his job, and in time, Buck turned to old acquaintances to assist him in illicit criminal activity for extra money. Angie wanted no part of it but in time because of financial problems she stopped resisting. In 1996 they were arrested.

Angie’s two children were young when she went to prison but are grown and now have families of their own. Angie has applied herself while incarcerated and assisted hundreds of women through ministry outreach and mentoring.  Angie wants to make amends for her crime by continuing to provide assistance to women and at-risk youth. Angie has expressed tremendous remorse for her roll is participating in her husband’s criminal activities and is extremely deserving of clemency.

Angie with daughter, Francine before prison

Angie with daughter, Francine before prison

Children at time of arrest: Daughter Francine was 15 years, and Ruben Jenkins was 10 years old.

Present: Daughter, Francine Walraven married 33 years old, one child, Lionel Walraven now 8 years old; My son, Ruben Jenkins is a Former Marine who served in Iraq and is now Sheriff of Klamath County, OR.  I am so proud of him for growing up under such difficult circumstances and becoming the amazing man he is today. At the time of my arrest my husband and I were helping my mother raise two of my nephews ages 9 and 10, Nick and Alex Diaz. Mother Nicky Diaz is 74 years old and has health issues.  She is now raising more grand children Jacob and Ezekiel Diaz and is in great need of my help with these young boys and I yearn to take care of her. Family members that have passed away since my incarceration: Husband, Father, Grandmother, Sister, Mother-in-Law.

From Amy:

I served time with Angie at FCI Dublin and, like myself, she was always in the law library.  It takes a lot of will, determination and patience to go to the law library almost every single day like Angie did, but I could count on seeing her there, like clockwork. She never claimed to be innocent, but she did not deserve a 30 year sentence, either.  Angie knew she had to understand the system and apply herself in order to obtain any relief.

From Angie:

I am now at the Satellite Camp Prison in Dublin, just arrived Aug 15, 2014.  I am currently volunteering to paint for a Halloween event that the staff is holding for their children here.  I am painting props and backdrops for photos we will be taking of the children for this event.

Since my incarceration I have learned to draw and paint.  I started drawing with No 2 pencil, and self taught myself to paint with acrylics.  This has been one of God’s gracious gifts to me since my incarceration.  I have always described it as one of the Lords saving graces for me through all the hardship and heartache of being away from my family. I have found a great love for painting and crafts of all sorts. I won a scholarship for a paralegal course, through an Art contest that I submitted my art to.  I was in the middle of a paralegal course when I was transferred here, but i would like to complete that course at some point.

I have so much guilt and heartache due to missing out on all the most important events in my children’s lives.  I remember the first time I felt complete and utter helplessness and so much heartache that I could not help my son.  It was shortly after I got to Dublin when I learned he was in a deep depression from both my husband and I being gone.  I soon found out that I was totally dependent on God to take care of my children.  I went in my cell and laid on the floor and cried from the depths of my soul to the point I felt like I was choking from so much pain of what my son experiencing and I plead for God’s mercy to please take care of my son and help .  I would find that this would not be the last time I would cry out to God to help my family.  My daughter went through so much that she left home as soon as she graduated.  She said it was too painful for her to stay in the house without her dad and I .  All these years I have missed every important accomplishment and all of the special moments that my children have had, and each time – it never gets easier.

I constantly worry about losing my mother before I make it home.  I have only seen her one time in my entire incarceration.  I have only met my grandson once when he was 18 months old .  My daughter moved to Hawaii shortly after.  I haven’t seen my son in about 7 years.  The whole time I have been incarcerated I have not had regular visits.  The onset of my incarceration my mother was a caregiver to my children and nephews that we where raising.  Financially it was impossible for her to bring my children to visit.  I didn’t have enough money monthly to make calls regularly to my children.

So as the years passed not only did I not have visits with them but it was as if I had lost them all together.  I never wanted my family to have to continue with more of a burden of my incarceration by asking for money or for them to come and see me.  And, after i transferred thousands of miles away for 5 years, the cost was too much for any of my family to visit. I will see my son for the first time in over 7 years next month.  When my husband passed away, my son was in Iraq at war.  My daily fear was that I would lose my son too, in battle. I was called to the chapel on Aug 28, 2008.  Walking to the chapel was so hard, I was praying that God spare my son. I knew that it was either my son, or my husband.  I was told my husband died.  I was devastated and heartbroken to think he died alone in a federal prison away from all his family, but I was so thankful that it wasn’t my son. I had to explain to my son that his fathers death may have saved his life because he was taken out of battle to return home to the funeral.  He remained at Camp Pendelton till he finished his tour. I pray that I can be united with my children so we can bond and make up for so many times that I was not there, for them.

 

Scroll to top