Coss Marte shares his life story as a former drug kingpin who ran a multi-million dollar cocaine empire in Lower East Side of New York City. As a young man he knew he wanted to be wealthy and his hustle took him from making millions to ending up in prison. This is the story of how his drug empire collapsed.

He has now reformed his life and operates a gym that focuses on a prison style fitness bootcamp called Conbody that employs formerly incarcerated people providing them with a second chance at life.

https://youtu.be/o66EDCFsKlM

Hello All!

My name is Lexie and I am an undergraduate Human Sciences and Psychology major at the University of Dallas. I know many of you have done work with me before but, allow me to introduce myself to those who have not.

I am conducting research on reintegrating citizens and their experiences of stigma and identity. I am collecting written accounts from people who are at least 18 years of ages, possess a criminal conviction in their background, but are NOT under any kind of parole or probation restrictions. Unfortunately, for their own safety and well being, I cannot collect any data from people who are currently under any form of court-ordered legal supervision.

To submit an account of an experience following your conviction that epitomizes the disconnect between the way in which others view you and the way you view yourself, please use this link: https://udallas.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9STaxwQoBRNBZmB

Please feel free to pass this link forward as well! If you, or someone you know, has experienced stigmatization in the face of your criminal conviction I would be grateful to hear your story.

Hello! I am an undergraduate student at the University of Dallas and towards completion of my thesis I am doing research on the experience of reentering society following a criminal conviction: in what way is this experience stigmatizing, and how can society work to remove that stigma?

If you, or someone you know with a conviction in their background, would be kind enough to complete my Reentry Survey, I would appreciate it greatly. Please tell me your story!

This survey was made to gather information about the lived experience of possessing a conviction, all answers are anonymous. Please share and pass this forward.

Hi peeps, really looking for some thoughts on what I have just been through the last 6 months.

I came across a muscular tattooed incredibly hot guy on a dating app that I matched with ended up messaging. He was very attentive, extremely kind, complimenting, smart and articulate. Also, he was an intellectual and awesome conversationalist. So, we texted continuously for two days and by the end of day two we were talking on the phone and he said he had something to tell me as he's very honest and transparent and respects me. It was then that he "dropped the bomb" about having been to prison for 14 years due to robbing a store that had people inside which he wouldn't allow to leave....so multiple kidnapping charges, weapon charges, etc. Anyway, he explained everything and acknowledged the stupidity and wrongdoing, guilt, embarrassment, etc. I am not a judgemental person in general, I know life isn't easy, I'm a single divorced mother, have been through regretful situations in my past and appreciated his honesty. I basically told him his past was okay with me as long as he's on a positive path going forward and as long as his actions speak to his words. He appreciated my understanding and accepting and we continued to see eachother.

I will say that from day one he was ALL ABOUT ME.... constantly complimenting me, telling me how amazing I am and how much he admires me, how attracted to me he is, how happy he wants to make me, how much greatness my kids and I deserve, etc. He would buy me cards and write me texts about how much I was his sunshine, everything he's been wanting, and how in love with me he was. He wanted to come stay with me nearly every day after going to work and the gym and we were rarely apart for months. He did HAVE to go to the gym and his martial arts 5-6 days a week no matter what and was quite selfish at times but I understood that he had been locked up and deprived of freedom and living for 14 years so I never wanted to dictate his choices or decision making. I also cooked for him and did a lot for him as well.

So 3.5 months in out of no where he suddenly says that he feels horrible but that he can no longer be in a relationship. He said he loved me very much and it had nothing to do with me. He said a relationship just wasn't what he wanted...even though he thought he did and he tried. He said he had horrible guilt that he can't carry out his promises and that he was hurting me so deeply. He said he wanted to have full freedom in his life and that he was too selfish for a relationship and that I deserved better.

Okay, mind you..... I said all these things from the beginning, lik, "are you sure you want a relationship or committment when you've only been out for SIX months and haven't experienced a lot of things in life you desire to?" He would reassure me yes, that I was everything he could ever want and he wanted a committment with me. He told ME he loved me first, he had me meet all of his family first, he told me he wanted to marry me a couple times and I hadn't ever said those things to him first. He pursued me and pursued me. So, I told him i was dumbfounded based on all of those things he said and did. He said he was just sorry but wanted to be friends. But literally from that point on he didn't want to say I love you or show me any affection or sentiments. In fact, after a couple weeks he would get angry if I said things that were more than platonic if I expected him to say those things back. He refused to give me THAT KIND of attention. I would even send him lingerie pics and invite him over and he sometimes said nothing back and said it wasn't a good idea. I CAN'T even tell you how hurtful and confusing all that time frame was. So only 5-6 weeks after we break up, he texts me out of nowhere saying he's really sorry but he is seeing someone and they discussed not talking to their ex's. I felt my heart drop, instant feeling of betrayal and mourning a loss. The man who loved me but couldn't be in a relationship, the man who said i was still his best friend and would always be there, the man who just TWO days prior to that told me how beautiful I looked in a picture I'd sent and how he wanted to atop by and hang out with my kids and I. Two days before him telling me goodbye bc he is seeing a new chick he just met.

All of the sudden that new girl is more important than me, the woman who loved him and accepted him unconditionally and was always there and did literally everything for him. I'm heartbroken but know I deserve better. Just trying to understand what happened. Does he really care about her only a month after we split? or he just didn't love me like he said or thought? I just would love your insight and opinion of what could be going on. I really appreciate it!

This survey was made to gather information about the Prison System's effects after prison from the perspective of the convict, all questions except for the first one are completely optional do not put information that you are not comfortable sharing and All answers are Anonymous please help if you have the time.

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https://forms.gle/XfdCo27tFyjkMHAz7

Hi there. I've been told that when ex convicts leave their prison and goes for a job or stay in a new neighborhood, their crimes are dragged with them. Is it true that the police gives people in the neighborhood a notice stating this man is dangerous and we've informed you for your safety? Also, if your records were to be expunged, would the police would still tell the neighborhood about it? I'm not asking for anyone. I'm just really curious....

As a young adult/old ass 20year old. I happend to fall into a despicable hobby that had the fbi knocking at my door. I was left alone by them for 3 years. But last year It finally hit the fan. And after 1 year of court bullshit I finally have reached my sentencing date.... What can someone like me [ never been in trouble/arrested/ shanked] expect in a low security federal prison?

So I did 4 years in a state penitentiary for 3 duis and possession of 32 grams of cocaine in Pennsylvania SCI Houtzdale in western Pennsylvania nothing I'm proud of or glorify but this is about stories and that I have many of the reason I say it is what you make it because it truly is im not a huge dude by all means 6'2" 210 pretty average but the story that I have I will never forget now remember breakfast is early and nobody is really talking its early and nobody wants to be there maybe bad mail it's just not a good time but as the day progresses it gets better we'll let me tell you how bad there was this huge guy from Pittsburgh he had a very bad morning and took it out on the first person who he seen I'm standing literally 10 feet away talking to someone I knew from back home who was leaving soon like a week or so anyway all I heard was the guy I was talking to say oh my god and a loud crack I thought someone got slapped which happens all the time so when I look at what he said omg about that big ass dude hit this guy so hard it crushed his skull around his eye socket and his eyeball was hanging out his head luckily the correctional officers were there because he was trying to step on it also but when they took him out of the dining hall they put a towel over it which immediately turned red from white but I never seen them again but I talked to a guy who knew the guy that hit him he told me the only reason he did that was to try to get transferred closer to his home county which really I was further away from home so I couldn't understand why he did that stab a co you already got new charges

Hillary Clinton?

Hey! I'm a felon (ten years out of the system now) and I've written a book and am maintaining a blog that contains helpful information for people like us! Do you know if your state offers felony relief? I know mine does! Check out the blog here: www.thefriendlyfelon.wordpress.com (You can find links to the book there too!)

Also posted in prisons- Was writing to a guy for 5 years; we were talking a lot about meeting.He's been released to a halfway house until Sept.He stopped calling and writing. He refuses to answer my messages now asking what's going on even though we are " friends" on social media..trying to understand what he may be feeling..he's 35.

Has anyone had difficulty gaining entrance to college or education programs due to criminal record or after their release?

The hierarchy of the prison system seems to place sex offenders at the bottom. This inmate was victimized by other inmates for his rape and murder of a 10 year old girl.

Feel free to share your experiences while locked up. Please do not use any identifying information, other than the obvious.