A journey of nearly 20 years culminated yesterday in what Anthony Cooper calls “a new start in life.”
Now 43, Cooper serves as director of re-entry services at Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development, helping people coming out of incarceration reintegrate with the community. He also leads the Focused Interruption Coalition, providing rapid response services in the immediate aftermath of gun violence.
And now he no longer has mistakes of his youth hanging over his head, and he was one of 37 people whose pardons by Governor Tony Evers were announced yesterday.
Cooper was incarcerated on drug charges in the late 1990s and released for the last time in October 2001. Since then, Cooper said, “My whole thing was really to just set out a different standard for my family, for my sons specifically, to be able to show them something different. I didn’t want my sons to continue to see me going back and forth to prison.”
It wasn’t an easy road — with a felony record, it wasn’t easy to get a job right away. He says he applied to 400 jobs and the only one he could land was at Papa John’s Pizza.
But, he says a strong network of community support, family support and a supporting church — he found a faith home at Fountain of Life Church — helped keep him on the right path.
Now, he feels that he can be an example for the people he’s helping negotiate the process of re-entry following incarceration.
He said his example “lets the guys know that, hey, it’s possible to be able to do something different with your life. It may take a little bit to get things how you want them to. But it is possible. You will get there. It’s a different type of strength.”
Cooper said one of the hardest things about making a big change in life is to remove people who aren’t a positive influence.
“I told my sons growing up, (and) I’ll often tell myself and others, had to eventually tell myself, ‘If it ain’t positive, remove it from you,'” he said. “It seems simple, but it’s actually hard because when you have different connections, sometimes it can be families, sometimes it can be people who you love genuinely, but sometimes you do have to literally remove people from your life who don’t mean you any good. It gets tough, but it’s necessary in order for you to breathe and be the person who you’re meant to be, because everyone on earth has a purpose in their life. Sitting behind prison doors is not one of them.”
Cooper said from a practical standpoint, the pardon means he gets certain civil liberties back, which could include simple pleasures that many Wisconsinites take for granted.
“If I grew up in a hunting family, I could go hunting again,” he said.
A pardon also “opens up the floodgates of different (employment) opportunities that may not have been given to me by having a felony on my record.”
Cooper wants to pass those opportunities along to others.
“It is really just a new start,” he said. It allows me to be able to open up the doors for others, but then also being able to encourage others as well.”
Others whose pardons were announced yesterday include, according to a press release from the governor’s office:
- Meagan Brown of Milwaukee committed a theft from her employer nearly twenty years ago. She has since graduated from college, maintains employment, supports her family, and hopes to enter the healthcare field.
- Glenn Gauthier was a teenager when he stole money from a grocery store nearly 50 years ago. He is a veteran who recently retired from a successful career in the paper mill industry, living in Larsen.
- Michelle Hass took checks from her father nearly 30 years ago. She now works with those struggling with substance misuse and lives in Black Earth. Her father, the victim in her case, spoke on her behalf to the Pardon Advisory Board.
- Jeffrey Heiser was just 21 years old when he lied to the court about buying beer for his underage brother. He is now in his fifties, living in Rib Lake, and is hopeful he will be able to someday hunt with this father, son, and grandson.
- Jamal Jamerson was caught dealing marijuana more than 20 years ago. He is taking acting classes and hopes to keep developing a career in entertainment. He lives in Milwaukee with his daughter and fiancé.
- Kimm Laursen purchased a stolen motorcycle nearly 40 years ago. He has been a barber for 37 years, lives in Cumberland, and has volunteered with organizations that help those struggling with alcohol misuse.
- John Lawrence was only seventeen when he stole coins and a blow dart gun from his neighbor’s sock drawer. He obtained his GED and technical degree, has maintained employment, and owns a home in Cudahy.
- Todd Nest was caught growing marijuana in his basement 26 years ago. He now runs two small businesses and lives in Wausau.
- Yvette Patrick was caught selling drugs over 25 years ago. After serving a prison sentence, she renewed her faith and obtained her sobriety. She currently works with the city of Milwaukee, where she resides.
- Benjamin Peters sold one ounce of marijuana a decade ago. He has two small children and lives in Appleton.
- Syreeta Robinson was in her early twenties when she unlawfully used a store credit account of another individual. She has since obtained her degree from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and works for the Sojourner Family Peace Center. She lives in Milwaukee.
- Joseph Rucker was just a teenager when he failed to appear at sentencing for a case that was later thrown out. His decision to skip court 25 years ago led to a bail jumping conviction. He now runs a consulting agency with his wife and lives in Waukesha.
- Carl Sinkler was a teenager when he and his friends left school to break into and steal from a series of storage lockers. Everything was returned, Mr. Sinkler concluded probation early, and he has since worked to support his wife and children. Now over 25 years later, he lives in Kronenwetter.
- Brian Stasewich was experiencing homelessness over 25 years ago when he issued worthless checks and then stole checks from lockers at a gym. While on probation, he was convicted of disorderly conduct. He is now married and lives in La Crosse.
- Rocco Sylvester stole from his employer 30 years ago. He is a veteran, has maintained consistent employment, and lives in Merrimac.
- Cecil Trawick was convicted for dealing drugs nearly 30 years ago. He has maintained a lifelong career in asbestos remediation in Milwaukee.
- Joshua Wentzel was caught dealing marijuana when he was a teenager nearly 20 years ago. He has since obtained his degree from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh and works as a dental hygienist, residing in Appleton.
- Amber White was only 17 and struggling with substance misuse when she broke into a family member’s home and stole change and blank checks. Now recovered, she obtained her degree in social work, and hopes to practice as a nurse. She lives in Galena, Illinois.
- Theodore Bowman was surviving without a home when he stole $25 from a gas station lockbox and broke a window to get into a bar nearly 50 years ago. He has recently retired from a successful lifelong career in manufacturing and resides in Neenah.
- Marvel Coleman was caught in a car with weapons and drugs just after his 18th birthday. Since completing his sentence early, he’s devoted his life to mentoring teens and young men confronting similar situations as he faced in his youth in Milwaukee, where he lives.
- Christopher Goodman and some friends were intoxicated when they broke into a barn, stole rifles, and shot at silos and cars on the property over 15 years ago. He now lives in Oconto, where he maintains employment at a warehouse.
- Jason Guerrero was a teenager when he was caught in possession of a short-barreled rifle 33 years ago. He has spent nearly all of his life since climbing the ranks of his company, where he is now vice president. He lives in Milwaukee.
- Dawn Heilgendorf was caught thirteen years ago attempting to trade a prescribed opioid for marijuana. She completed her sentence early and has since lived a quiet life in Port Washington.
- Christopher Howard stole a jacket from someone who’d just been assaulted when he was a teenager. Almost twenty-five years later, he is a skilled builder who resides with his family in Kaukauna.
- Robert Johnson was 24 years old when he wrote and cashed two checks totaling $220 from someone else’s account. Now in his fifties, he is a successful small businessman living in Bruce.
- Felicia Jones took and used someone’s truck without consent and used stolen checks to buy groceries over 15 years ago. Now, she leads a sober life and is an active member of her church and AA in Madison.
- Craig Larson and his friends broke into a liquor store and took beer, liquor, and cigarettes when he was 17 years old. In the over twenty years since, he has committed himself to his family and his career, and resides in Elroy.
- William Rogers led police on a high-speed chase in his early 20s. He works tirelessly to repair the societal harm he inflicted by devoting his life in Oshkosh to working with young people through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Rawhide Youth Services.
- Katee Sims was a teenager in Milwaukee when she was involved in the sale of cocaine to an undercover officer. She has since unburdened herself of past toxic influences and become a source for healing as a certified nursing assistant in Milwaukee.
- David Stoner, Sr. grew marijuana plants on his property over ten years ago. A retiree, he lives with his family in Sarona.
- Tahirah Sumbry made unauthorized purchases at two retail clothing stores nearly 20 years ago. She has since earned her bachelor’s degree and has become a small businesswoman in Fairburn, Georgia, where she lives.
- Jerald Ulvestad sold cocaine to a confidential informant in the early 1980s. He has since obtained his associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees and maintained steady employment, living in Lakewood, Colorado.
- Paul Vidani reprinted autographed professional sports photos which were subsequently sold as originals. He has since retired and continues to pursue his education. He lives in De Pere.
- Daniel Watson was caught in possession of cocaine at 22 years old. Now, he gives back to his community as a personal care worker and volunteer for various Milwaukee beneficent organizations.
- Derrick Welch was caught twice in possession of cocaine as a teenager, once after failing to return from Huber release. He now owns a barbershop that he runs as a family-oriented ministry in Milwaukee.
- Frederick Wemmer was 18 when he was caught growing marijuana. Now 42 years old, he lives with his family in the Wisconsin Dells where they own campgrounds.
