In an unprecedented turn of events, a Utah man has voluntarily asked for more jail time in hopes that it will help him kick his heroin addiction.

The 25-year old man’s original charge was a second-degree felony. Instead of pleading down his sentence, he decided to “plead up” to a first degree felony of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. His original sentence carried a term of 1-15 years; his new conviction, a sentence of 5-years to life. He says he’ll soon be happier than he is now because he’ll get off of heroin and within about eight weeks of going to jail, he says that he expects his withdrawal symptoms to subside to the point that his sleep will return to normal.

Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center issued this statement, “It’s definitely unusual for an individual to want more jail time for their actions, particularly an individual involved in a drug related crime. Normally, they want to complete their sentence so that they can quickly return to their cycle of addiction. Rarely do we see someone take such extraordinary steps to not only begin their journey to recovery but also to stay in recovery.”

Prior to final sentencing, the judge gave the young man one last chance to change his mind and withdraw his guilty plea. He declined.

Mountainside continues, “While this particular course will help this young man in his drug addiction treatment, it’s a rather extreme step. Equally effective treatment options that would have allowed this young man to maintain his future freedom were available. The problem is that sometimes, when faced with a dead-end situation, an individual doesn’t know his/her options. A big barrier to beginning treatment is not only availability of information at the time, but also finding a reliable, safe and cost-effective program that understands not only the addiction, but all of the issues surrounding the addiction.”

Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center is a comprehensive and innovative provider of treatment for individuals suffering from drug addiction and alcoholism. Mountainside’s licensed and certified counselors, social workers and clinical treatment team and staff are dedicated to providing an unsurpassed treatment experience to its clients. With diverse areas of expertise, the treatment team works collaboratively with each client and their family to ensure that an individualized treatment plan is designed that will treat not just the symptoms, but the whole individual. With professionalism and compassion, each client is guided through every stage of recovery and encouraged to participate in a wide variety of evidence-based and cutting edge innovative treatment options.

Via EPR Network
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