When someone is sentenced to serve time in federal prison, it’s a sad reality that friends, family members, and former associates often seek to distance themselves from the convicted, even in the case of non-violent, white collar crime. This phenomenon is almost certainly playing out in real time for former White House official Peter Navarro, who was ordered Monday to report to FCI Miami on March 19. But while others may run, federal prison consultant Sam Mangel has a different message: “call me.”
“Having just left FCI Miami a few years ago,” Mangel says, “I know exactly what Mr. Navarro is walking into and I can certainly help him prepare for what are going to be difficult days.”
Sam Mangel, a federal prison consultant based in Florida, served 20 months at FCI Miami following his conviction for wire fraud related to the sale of life insurance policies. Since his release, he has worked to help former business leaders, physicians, politicians, foreign nationals, and other professionals through their journey through the criminal justice system.
That’s experience and advice he believes Navarro can benefit from, even with just days to go before reporting to FCI Miami.
“Many look at a minimum-security camp and like to joke that it’s ‘Club Fed,’ but that’s a seriously out-dated point of view,” Mangel shares, “There’s little question FCI Miami presents the toughest conditions Navarro will have ever faced, and this is not something you can just figure out on the fly. Preparation is critical.”
Navarro faces 4 months in prison beginning March 19, after U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta denied Navarro’s request to stay his prison sentence while he appeals his conviction on contempt of Congress charges for defying a January 6 committee subpoena.
In Mangel’s eyes, Navarro’s status as a “short-timer” may prove to be a great challenge.
“While a short sentence is a blessing, it presents unique challenges,” Mangel notes. “For one, there is often a social stigma, perhaps best described as a jealousy, that he’ll have to adapt to and overcome. Navarro has a name that has been in the news, which means he’ll show up with many people having already judged him. This makes his journal atypical, and it will be crucial to understand the social hierarchies inside.”
This is especially the case for Navarro, who may expect to walk into an institution comprised of white collar offenders and be surprised to learn that’s not the case. Despite the minimum-security camp setting, Mangel says Navarro may be surprised to learn the majority of his neighbors in FCI Miami will be people found guilty of drug-related offenses or people who have earned their way to the camp from a higher-security facility. This will likely serve as a major change of pace for the Harvard PhD.
Additionally, Mangel suggests Navarro focus on what he can do to ensure he earns the various time credits available to him. Those in the federal system have many different credit-earning programs including Good Time Credits, First Step Act, and the credits for participation in evidence-based recidivism reduction programs.
These are complex programs which can be difficult to navigate, but the results are significant. When Mangel was sentenced to 60 months in prison, he shifted his focus to developing a full understanding of these time credit programs and used them to his benefit, ultimately serving less than two years. With the correct preparation and advocacy, most in the federal system can reduce their sentences by one-third or more.
Most importantly, Mangel says, it’s important Navarro focus on how he’ll use this time for good.
“Time in federal prison offers the unique opportunity to truly reflect and grow without the noise of the outside world. My hope for anybody sent to prison is that they embrace the experience and see it as a stepping stone to a better, brighter self.”
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