Mihia's Sentence Was Reduced to 36 Months, Three Years

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Mahia's court appointed attorney, michael crane, stepped up and dialed things all the way back to the case itself. Crane argued that much of what mahia had said that implicated him in major felonies was really nothing more than puffery. The morality play we'd all been watching had become a court room drama. With that, crane asked for probation, no jail time. Well, after hearing from everybody, i'm going to pose a custodial sentence of 36 months, three years.

People heading to court often turn to the internet for guidance. In so doing, many come across the work of Justin Paperny, who dispenses advice on his YouTube channel. His videos offer preparation advice and help manage expectations, while providing defendants information to be able to hold their current lawyers accountable, and to try to negotiate a lighter sentence.

Mr. Paperny, a former financial criminal, also leads White Collar Advice with his partner Michael Santos, another former convict. The firm is made up of 12 convicted felons who each have their own consulting specialty based on where they served time and their own sentencing experiences.

The journalist Jack Hitt relates the story of the two men and the details of their firm, which “fills a need in 21st-century America.” It is, Mr. Hitt writes, “a natural market outgrowth of a continuing and profound shift in America’s judicial system.”

This story was written by Jack Hitt recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.