My name is Anna and my incaracerated friend Ray is in need of your support. Ray is a loving, passionate, thoughtful, and creative man with many dreams. Below is his story:

Hi, my name is Raymond Tranquilino Sanchez. I am a father and a brother to two sisters and three brothers. In 2000 we lost our mom as she passed away. I come from a close-knit family, and after losing our mom my brothers and sisters stuck together and lived helping each other and supporting each other. In 2008 we went through rough times, and 2009 ushered in something none of us were prepared for as we lost our home. I panicked and found myself looking for a quick fix to pay for housing for myself, my brothers, and my sisters. We got situated but it was short-lived, as I was incarcerated in 2009 for armed burglary.

I was sentenced to serve 27 years and 4 months with 5 strikes. This is because I got 5 years for the crime and 22 years for something called enhancements, which means I got years added for prior convictions and using a gun.

Now, with the drive for prison reform and the understanding that criminal law has been grossly misapplied in California, we are witnessing a correctional change of CA laws. One of these is SB81, which was passed in September 2021 and went into effect in January 2022. SB81 recognizes that enhancements such as the ones that gave me 22 extra years have been unjustly used and over-applied to People of Color. “With SB 81, we can begin to reverse a stark racial disparity in California’s sentencing practices… Unnecessary sentence enhancements do nothing to prevent crime and harm from occurring in the first place, nor do they help protect the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Tinisch Hollins, executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice, a sponsor of SB 81. “Californians from across the political spectrum continue to demand the justice system prioritize prevention over harsh sentencing and ineffective incarceration” (Office of Nancy Skinner, 2021). You can read more about enhancements and SB81 here: https://sd09.senate.ca.gov/news/20211008-governor-signs-sb-81-judicial-guidance-sentence-enhancements.

Unfortunately, SB81 does not apply retroactively, which means it won’t apply to cases that occurred before it passed, however I do have a chance of hope.

Under PC 1172.1, which was designed to curtail the effect of these enhancements, there is a chance to petition to reopen my case for resentencing. This law applies to clients who have done especially well in prison, and who have good “programming,” taking advantage of counseling and educational programs that are available in their particular institutions. In my time in prison I have shown growth, maturity, and a change in my perception of life. I voluntarily enrolled in self-help groups which focus on anger management and trigger points. I also took and graduated from courses in critical thinking, parenting, cognitive thinking, and computer literacy. In addition, I volunteered with the Youth Offender program to serve as a mentor.

My goal is to raise money to pay for an attorney to help me in re-opening my case, as I have little to no financial support. Once my sentence is corrected, I wish to open a remodeling business with my sons and become a productive member of society again. I can’t wait to get home to my family and my dreams.

To each and all of you who read my story, I wish to thank you and appreciate your assistance and even your time to view this request.

God Bless.