The process took months. It required dozens of telephone calls to lawyers. It required a lot of legal mail, both sent and received. It also required much hope. In the end, the effort – and the hope – paid off.
Former San Quentin resident Luciano Borjas said he received a resentencing under 1172.1(a). Just prior to his departure from San Quentin, he said he would still have to deal with a federal detainer that required him to serve eight more months, but he looked forward to going home in less than a year.
“I believe there are many individuals who deserve the same opportunity I have had,” Borjas said.
Borjas said he served 15 years of his 25-year sentence. Growing up in a gang lifestyle, he said the word “rehabilitated” sounded foreign to him, a concept he could not understand, but he said his prison experience changed his life in a way that he would never forget.
“I am going to pay every day for my crime I committed in February of 2009,” Borjas said.
Throughout the interview, Borjas referred to the harm he had caused to so many persons. He talked about the positive programming that for more than a decade allowed him to think about his choices. He talked about the consequences of those choices and the ways in which he applied everything his incarceration taught him.
Borjas said his prison term had started at Calipatria, a Level IV facility. His positive programming allowed him to transfer to San Quentin more than a year ago. He said programs such as NA, AA, Alternative to Violence, Criminals and Gangs Anonymous, Fathers Behind Bars, Man-Up, and ISUDT had helped him grow and mature from the childish ways of his youth.
His support network helped him, too, Borjas said. Fellow residents, staff, and his brother and mentor Victor Gallardo all helped him with his rehabilitation. He said Gallardo provided spiritual guidance, financial support, and positive reinforcement. Sobriety and a change in lifestyle played two key roles in his transformation.
“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Borjas said. “If you put in the work, it will be recognized. Get into programs right away and be ready during the process.”
Borjas’ faith in Jesus Christ remained his foundation for growth and change, and he said he believed that “All glory, praise, and honor go to God.” He explained that as a devout Catholic, he had always abided by his obligations of attending mass, confession, and living a prayerful life. He said his religion meant for him to stay connected with his church community on the inside and on the outside.
He said he believed that nothing was impossible for God, so after hearing of the recommendation for an 1172 resentencing, he felt gratitude, for his positive programming and transformation had succeeded. “I am truly remorseful and sorry. I cannot change what happened, but living amends and loving your neighbor are something I practice every day of my life.”
Borjas said he believed the opportunities and resources available upon release would allow him to join former incarcerated persons in reaching out to the youth in communities. “I want to let juveniles who are struggling know there are people who care about [them].” Upon his release, he would pay his respects to his parents, both of whom he had lost while incarcerated.
Borjas said his focus on art had helped him avoid volatile situations and aided in his ability to remain disciplinary-free for over a decade. “Art is a gift of God, it has been therapeutic for me.” He said the gift of imagination he acquired while incarcerated would remain with him forever.
Borjas had donated art to those less fortunate while incarcerated. “I have found that giving is therapeutic and by giving back my cup stays full,” Borjas said. He said he also made contributions of art for organizations in the Bay Area and for the San Quentin News galas.
“I am blessed to have come across the right people, especially in San Quentin,” Borjas said.
