Can a Convicted Felon Get a Job Driving Truck? part II

I spoke with Roadmaster and scheduled a meeting with Gloria 06/12/2009 at 09:00. My first impression of Gloria was a good one. She did not come off as the typical recruiter trying to get my money at all costs. She seemed straight shooting and genuine. She started by running a background check through the Utah Department of Public Safety BCI. This took some time to process and as she ran the search I let her have a look at my Federal Pre Sentence Investigation Report. The charges read as follows:

State Charges:
-Release of Fur-Bearing Animals Felony 3rd Degree
-Burglary Felony 3rd Degree

Federal Charges:
-Illegally making a firearm (destructive device)
-Malicious destruction by means of explosive- Aiding and abetting
-Using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence- Aiding and abetting

Gloria was silent for some time before looking up at me and asking me “What did you do?” I explained that I was involved with the animal rights movement in my younger years. My state charges were from an incident where I cut a fence onto the property of a fur farm and then went into the shed where the animals were housed. I opened many cages and pulled the breeding id cards off of the cages and ripped them up. “What about the Federal charges?” she asked. I explained that I built pipe bombs that were used by others to destroy the property of the local Fur-Breeders Co-Op.

She was silent again and continued flipping through the pages. “I see you and your brother went to prison” she said “What happened to the others?” I explained that they got off. I of course explained that I was no longer involved with animal rights and that I made a choice in prison that the criminal life is not what I wanted. I also took the time to outline what I had done in prison to prepare for a crime free life upon my release.

When the background check came back we noticed two things right off. First, the Release of Fur-Bearing animals showed up as 3rd degree felony theft ( I promise I did not pocket any of the mink to sell at the local pawn shop at a latter date) and second, there was no mention of any of my Federal charges. Gloria asked me if I was sure the charges stuck. I told her that either they stuck or I don't know why I was in prison for a half decade.

Reviewing my 2 state felonies Gloria informed me that the only way I would ever be hired in the industry would be if I knew some one or got me record expunged. Since I do not know anyone in the industry (very intuitive Candice) I decided that I would try to file myself for expungement. Gloria gave me the address BCI (Bureau of Criminal Identification) and told me to just go file for expungement myself since it would cost me about $2,000 to have a lawyer do it for me.

Following Gloria's advice, I went down to BCI this morning at 06:55 and waited at the door for 5 minutes for them to open. I walked in and informed the woman at the desk of what I had come to do. She asked for id and the application form which I had printed and filled out as soon as I got back from my meeting with Gloria. The women at the desk then gave me instructions on how to finger print myself and handed me a card to slap the prints down on. This completed I followed her instructions to wait in the lobby until she called my name. In about ten minutes she called me up and handed me the official Utah State Department of Public Safety- Bureau of Criminal Investigations criminal history report on myself. She told me that I would be notified in 10 weeks by letter if I was eligible for expungement or not.

This report still did not mention my federal felonies anywhere. That makes background check number 4 with no mention of these convictions to date. Being a curious fellow, I called the Salt Lake City F.B.I. office and informed them that I would like a copy of my criminal history that included my federal charges. They in informed me that I would have to obtain them through CBI (very interesting.) I called BCI back and told them what the F.B.I. official had instructed me to do. CBI's representative told me the F.B.I. office was incorrect and gave me the phone number to the appropriate F.B.I. office in Clarksburg, WV.

I called the new F.B.I. number and was greeted by a cheerful sounding automated operator. The recording of this happy little fellow direct me to the fbi.gov website and instructed me on how to acquire the necessary forms to obtain my record. I not only have to fill out a request form but also have to print and complete a finger print card. This print card requires that I give my prints in front of law enforcement and have the law enforcement official complete part of the form. All you have to do then is mail the forms off with an $18.00 money order.

While I am not foolish enough to be even remotely optimistic about the outcome of my expungement request, the bright side is that it is highly doubtful that a Utah employer will go through all of the steps required to obtain my federal record and I doubt the Feds will update BCI any time soon since they have not bothered to over the last decade since I was convicted.

To conclude, it seems that a convicted felon cannot become a truck driver unless they know someone high ranking in the industry or they can get their record expunged. So why did I file for expungement even though I know it will never happen? If I am to lead my kids by example I think it is important to exhaust all possible options while trying to rise above this.

If any one would like any further info. on BCI or obtaining their fed records, please feel free to e-mail me at riseabove801@gmail.com

Until next time you know the drill, Stay strong, proud, and free!