Edwin Rubis, Cannabis Prisoner

Sentence: 40 years

Time Incarcerated: 25 years 

Edwin Rubis was born in El Salvador. In 1980, his family moved to Houston, Texas when he was 11 years old. He lived there, went to high school, worked numerous jobs, until his arrest in 1998 (he was 29 years old). 

At the time, he was married and struggling to keep steady employment because of a drug addiction. He had a three year old, and his wife was three months pregnant with their second child. Now his three sons (one from a previous marriage) are in their mid-twenties. He barely speaks to them, because they don't really know their father. The rest of his family still lives in Houston.

   In 1998, he was charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana. During his arrest no guns, money, or drugs were found. The leaders of the conspiracy gave his name to federal authorities claiming he had transported marijuana for them. Of course they never told the authorities that Edwin owed them a drug debt; for drugs he had lost trying to maintain his drug addiction.

Ignorant to the law, Edwin proceeded to trial, unaware that my attorney had never tried a federal case. In the end he was found guilty. And because he didn't cooperate with authorities and caused an outburst in the courtroom during his trial, he was given numerous sentencing enhancements which added up to 40 years. 

  The first two and a half years of his incarceration were extremely difficult for Edwin. He tried to take his own life. He fell into a deep depression. He picked up two prison disciplinary infractions. He couldn't function with the reality that he  was going to spend the next 40 years in prison. His out date at the time was 2035. A very long distance from where he was in '99. But then something  happened. He went through a spiritual transformation of sorts and began to see his situation from a different perspective. He enrolled in prison rehabilitation classes. He started to read and read and read, mostly self-help books. He wanted to be a better version of himself. 

   For years he’s worked numerous prison jobs (the chapel, prison unit team, health services, unicor textile factory, food services, recreation, law library, unit orderly, laundry, and so forth), all to demonstrate that he could function as a rehabilitated individual. He learned how to play music, enrolled in college, and now mentors other inmates with what he’s learned. Of course, going against the very notion that he wouldn't be released for decades to come. 

   Has it been hard on his family? More than anyone can imagine. At this moment, his mother and father are in their 80's and one of his sons has mental issues that Edwin feels helpless in his ability to help. Still having 10 years left on his sentence he believes he may not see his parents alive when he gets out. His three sons will be in their mid to late-thirties.

  All he can do is hope and pray that he  doesn't die in prison. He'll be 63 years old on his current release date. “If I make it that long,” Edwin emotionally told us. By that time he would have spent 34 years in prison for a non-violent marijuana offense. 

To write Edwin Rubis, please send letters to:

Edwin Rubis #79282-079

FCI TALLADEGA
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.M.B 1000
TALLADEGA, AL 35160