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Troy Donavan Bounds
#66117-079My name is Troy Donavan Bounds. I am 28 years of age. I was a student at Texas Southern University, studying to be a band director. I was gainfully employed, and was also married at the time of indictment. My wife was also in college studying to be a nurse. She also worked as a medical assistant and phlebotomist. I was brought up in church, and am well respected in my community.
I made a mistake and became involved in selling cocaine with my aunt's husband. We sold wholesale cocaine (1/4 ounces, 1/2 ounces, and ounces) to street-level dealers; but our clientele was limited. The conspiracy that we were indicted for involved a group of about five Houston guys who bought small quantities of powdered cocaine from wholesale distributors in Houston, took the powdered cocaine to a small community in Victoria, Texas and converted the powdered cocaine into crack cocaine, and sold it on the streets of Victoria.
Myself, Troy Bounds, and my co-defendant Kerry Bass were found guilty of supplying these guys powdered cocaine by a jury. We were in fact guilty of selling these guys powdered cocaine. However, this is where the major injustice occurs in our case. We were not sentenced to powdered cocaine, which is what we sold these guys, we were sentenced to crack cocaine because the guys we sold the powdered cocaine to converted the powdered cocaine to crack cocaine.
According to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines § IB1. 3 Relevant Conduct commentary notes, I should not be sentenced under crack when I was merely in a BUYER/SELLER relationship with these guys.
Because me and my co-defendant, Kerry Bass, went to trial, the government overzealously sought to give us as much time as possible. Our initial sentences were Life in prison without parole. I currently have a sentence of 20 years, and Kerry Bass has a sentence of 30 years. This is both of our first offense ever!
I deeply regret ever having been involved with drugs. I now see the ignorance and lack of concern that I had of/for my community, as well as others that were negatively affected. All I pray for now is the opportunity to help rebuild the communities that I once helped destroy. Everyone deserves another chance. This is a predominately Christian society, which means that they believe in forgiveness if they expect Christ to forgive them. Yet, no-one speaks out in defense of the senseless sentences given to nonviolent criminals.
Does it take twenty years to rehabilitate? Is the goal to rehabilitate or to annihilate? Thank God for November Coalition!
My wife and family have been traumatized by my sentence. However, God is sustaining us by His Mercy, Grace, and Peace.
All I want is to be sentenced according to my actions; not according to the actions of others, who were not themselves charged with their own actions. In Jesus Name I claim the Justice Promised in Luke 1S:8.
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