Pedro Contreras and his daughter
First of all, I want to thank the Lord for bringing into my life Dr. Emerick. I have taken several classes with him while in prison in psychology and sociology. As you can see these are not religion classes but Dr. Emerick always shared Jesus even in in college classes. This is where I came to know my Savior and Lord. Many people are ashamed to share their faith in a living God. Dr. Emerick never was ashamed to share the love of Jesus with us.
I was born to very young parents in Compton CA. My whole family was gang related so the allure of becoming a gang member as well was very strong.
I remember being a good student at a very young age and having many dreams that shattered when my parents separated. Due to these circumstances I began to make many stupid decisions. I was first arrested at the age of 12. It was at this age I joined a gang called Compton Barrio 132nd Street. I was involved in lots of acts of vandalism. Sale of drugs. And finally Murder and Attempted murder at the age of 18.
I think the breaking point in my life came at the separation of my parents. I was so angry with that I went to the streets I started using drugs I stopped going to school stopped coming home. I spotted every chance I could get in the neighborhood. I started to experience complete darkness in my life. I started hanging around killers and thought that this is what I wanted to be. The reason why I was involved the killing of two people which was gang related because I did not want to look weak. At the age of 18, I was arrested in 2010 and sentenced to 30 years in prison for attempted murder with a gun and gang enhancement. I killed one person and attempted to kill another. My term is 7 years and my enhancement was 20 years.
I know now that I hurt many people as well as my victims and their families. Yes, my crimes were gang related but that is not an excuse for taking someone’s life. I know now that God has a great plan for my life. I am no longer using drugs and I have taken many self-help classes. I have been sober for over 13 years now.
I’m approaching my 13th year of incarceration and my daughter who was conceived through conjugal family visitation with my wife and my daughter is going to be 8 years old.
God is good all of the time, and all of the time God is good!