In this episode of Prisoner's Pardon Podcast, host Michi J discusses the sensitive topic of reentry for sex offenders with special guest Mitch Stupica. Mitch shares his life story, including his struggles with mental health, drug addiction, and his legal troubles stemming from a sexual relationship with a minor and other crimes. As Mitch reflects on his past, he provides insights into the impacts of his upbringing, the consequences of deceptive behavior, and the complexities of reentry into society. The episode emphasizes the importance of community support, understanding, and accountability. Mitch also highlights his journey towards recovery, forgiveness, and his efforts to inform and guide others to avoid similar pitfalls.

00:00 Introduction and Personal Background

00:51 Welcome to Prisoner's Pardon Podcast

01:07 Discussing Reentry for Sex Offenders

03:02 Introducing Mitch Stupica

03:46 Mitch's Early Life and Struggles

05:58 Mitch's Teenage Years and Legal Issues

10:04 The Impact of Family Dynamics

19:19 Mitch's Conviction and Legal Consequences

28:04 Understanding the Legal Consequences

28:34 The Romeo and Juliet Law Explained

30:09 The Importance of Awareness and Prevention

34:58 Personal Reflections and Regrets

36:19 Living with the Consequences

39:09 Navigating Legal and Social Challenges

43:42 The Role of Accountability and Mentorship

49:52 Recovery and Moving Forward

52:16 Final Thoughts and Gratitude

Mitch Stupica Music Video & News Clip from Fox News 6

https://youtu.be/qJmTtXg-pPc?si=AEHw6H5iKv7URbPS

https://www.fox6now.com/news/milwaukee-unrest-destruction-totals-more-than-3m-in-sherman-park-neighborhood

I thought that it was

okay to be deceptive.

2

That if I told the truth, it

would come with punishment.

3

Oh, just tell me the truth

and , everything will be okay.

4

You're not going to get in trouble.

5

And then when I would be honest, it would

come and be reinforced with punishment.

6

So I started living a double life with

selling drugs and gang activity and,

7

and trying to be surface compliant,

8

I thought that it was

okay to be deceptive.

9

Welcome everybody to

Prisoner's Pardon Podcast.

10

I'm Mic J, your host, and today, again,

you always know, I always say I have

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a special guest because I always do.

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You know why?

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Because everybody is special.

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Today we're going to be talking

about a really touchy subject.

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Many people get triggered

by this, and you know what?

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It's prevalent, and I do understand

why we're gonna be talking about

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reentry for sex offenders and.

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Just so that you know, when you hear

that term, it, categorizes a big

19

group of people and it's different

categories, it's different circumstances.

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And I just want you all to be aware of

that and your heart softened to listen,

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but also using your mind at the same time.

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So again, we're going to be

talking about a touchy subject.

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We won't have any kind of foul

language or anything like that.

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It will be a good listen for, young

ones, but not too young because a

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lot of people, I would say a lot of,

not just people, but young people

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are involved with sex and it is.

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In my opinion, something like only should

be done by adults because of some of the

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consequences that can come out of that.

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So I'm glad that you're here.

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I'm glad that you're

taking the time to listen.

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And I really appreciate all that you do.

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Please, once you hear this

video, Please send us feedback.

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I really appreciate it so that we can

make this show better So people can

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get the value that they need because

this is things that we really should be

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talking about Again, this is like a taboo

subject but here on prisoners pardon.

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We don't back away from that so we

approach things and because we do want

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to add value in this area too because

there is not a lot of things For

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people that have a sex offender case.

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So again, that was just to let you

know what we're about to talk about.

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And my guest here today is Mitch Stupica.

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He is Yugoslavian and haven't talked

to him as much as I would like

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to, but I wanted to talk to him

today because he has a great story.

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He does have a case like this and this

is going to be interesting because he's

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going to come from the, Emphasis of

being the male , in this particular case.

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And I want you to listen

to what he has to say.

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Welcome Mitch.

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Hey, now, for coming on the show.

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And I really appreciate it.

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Coming here and talking about

such a sensitive subject.

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So Mitch, tell us a little bit

about yourself so people can

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understand who you are at first.

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Well, I've been through a lot of

trauma in my life from my father

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having mental health issues.

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Uh, a lot of mental health issues

in my family from my grandma having

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schizophrenia, there's been Alzheimer's

going on in my family, a lot of

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addiction from my uncle charlie.

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Um, and you know, I was born

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drugs were quite prevalent.

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And my family and just genetically

speaking, I've was diagnosed with

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attention deficit in 1993 with

an oppositional defiant disorder.

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Um, and in 96 I was diagnosed

with bipolar disorder.

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So I was been on medication

majority of my life from 93.

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I remember when my, when they found

out and I was diagnosed, I went from

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getting, um, disciplined physically

to He's sick, Mitchell's sick, and um,

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I really didn't understand what I was

going through, you know, um, but I was

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on anywhere from Ritalin to Adderall to

Wobutrin, Devacol, Clonidine, Risperdal,

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Prozac, it was always a cocktail.

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And growing up in my family,

we, it was me and my sister.

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My dad was emotionally unavailable.

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My mom was the alpha female.

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She's Irish from Chicago.

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My dad sides from Cleveland.

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And so it was just the

four of us in a avoidant.

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Type of family that was very passive

aggressive, didn't want to talk

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about the elephant in the room.

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And majority of the time was

spent catering to me with the

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school system with an IEP.

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I had a learning disability,

emotionally disturbed.

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And so, I got into drugs quite early

on to cope with a lot of the emotional

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instability that I had growing up

at by the age of 12 I was using

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marijuana, cocaine, psychedelics, you

know, just experimenting with alcohol.

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And, um, I was convicted early on.

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I had a juvenile case of breaking

and entering and stuff like that.

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Um, just, you know, mischievous things.

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Um, And when I went into high

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So I'm sorry to interrupt you, but

yeah, you just gave us a long little

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bio about the, , mental conditions

and some of the medications

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you've taken and stuff like that.

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And , what about,, did you work how

were you in the community , did you

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have any kind of skill sets that

you did to was all of your time?

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Um, just being what we call a

bad boy or something like that.

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I worked, I had a job early on at 14.

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Team at McDonald's got fired for

smoking weed in the bathroom.

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Okay.

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And then I got my first, you

know, pretty good job at 15.

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I was working at a, uh, river Hills

West Healthcare Center in p Walke

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and I was in dietary, so, and then I

started working at Cold's Furniture.

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So I've always.

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kept the job because my, my parents

were, um, they weren't well off, but

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they were real adamant on work, work.

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But I never was able

to usually keep a job.

102

Okay.

103

And that was due to my mental health

issues, like bipolar, you know, I

104

wouldn't show up on time and it would

really affect my emotional state.

105

So were you doing, , When you

wasn't showing up on time and

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stuff, when you lost your job,

was it because of just that?

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Or were you also doing drugs?

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Well, yeah, you said

you were doing the week.

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I was, I was heavy.

110

Yeah.

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And I was, you know, prior to me getting

heavy in my addiction and self medicating,

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I was, there was already a plan.

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Uh, obsession and character defects.

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Um, where I thought that it

was okay to be deceptive.

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That if I told the truth, it

would come with punishment.

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Oh, you know, just tell me the truth

and you know, everything will be okay.

117

You're not going to get in trouble.

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And then when I would be honest, it would

come and be reinforced with punishment.

119

So I started living a double life with

selling drugs and gang activity and, and

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trying to be surface compliant, you know,

be perceived in this one way Work and

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uh, yeah, you know, I got the greatest

potential, but on the other side, I

122

was deceptive, manipulative and very

disassociated with life, very antisocial

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behaviors and more of an extrovert.

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I always felt ostracized from people.

125

I never really felt like I fit in.

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I never really felt like I had

any type of place in this life.

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And so part of it had to do with the

mental health issue, but also just with.

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All the psychiatry that I was

put under with everything was

129

just made to make it seem like I,

it was something wrong with me.

130

I was sick and nobody could relate.

131

Okay.

132

So thank you for bringing that up.

133

I think you said a point about being

deceptive and you got, the punishment

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when you were true faith, And that's

why you didn't tell the truth because

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you didn't want that punishment.

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You didn't.

137

What kind of punishment was that Larry?

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And I would get the silent

treatment, which I would start

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feeling like I was rejected.

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Like when my parents wouldn't talk to me.

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I think that that just the emotional

abandonment, uh, I would get.

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Uh, hit with whatever my dad at the time

before that from extension cores to belts.

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My dad was before these diagnosis

were even in, uh, on the table.

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Uh, I was just this problem.

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Child that needed to be whooped, you

know, come from the old school spirit

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of spirit of riots for the child and

Just the verbal abuse the emotional

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abuse that you know I remember my mom

used to say you're just like my brother.

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You're just like my mom.

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Well, I never met my grandma I never

really had a relationship with my brother.

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And so I Internalized that and say well

if I'm just like them you're gonna abandon

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me and leave me anyways You're going

to reject me anyways, just like them.

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So I never really got close

with, you know, my mom.

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I never really got close with

people, even those in authority

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because I didn't really trust them.

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I used to see a lot of things in the

public school system when it came to kids

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with autism and kids with other learning

disabilities and they would be abused

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and you know it was hard for me to trust

those in authority because the people

158

in authority abused their authority.

159

I'm not saying all of them but I

saw a lot of things that would give

160

me selective memory to where it

would reinforce a lot of the trauma

161

that I went through as a child.

162

So in your estimation like you said

they punished you with the silent

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treatment , excessive punishments

with, , cords, verbal abuse, that

164

quite naturally took your trust away.

165

You know, I think anybody would have that.

166

So what do you think should have been the

outcome with you being honest with them?

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If you were the parent,

what would you have done?

168

I think with the, uh, you know, looking

back, I think having a safe environment.

169

place to where you could come a judgment

free zone where you could be encouraged

170

and be supportive to the child.

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I know that, you know, there has

to be some form of discipline,

172

especially, you know, to correct

problematic and antisocial behavior.

173

Um, I think that with my, my

parents, they did the best that they

174

could, but I feel like, I was just

talking with my sister recently.

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She was the obedient child and I was

the one that always would act out.

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And this was my way of avoiding

a lot of the things that was

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going on where my parents would

fight all the time and argue.

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And I would think that it

was something wrong with me.

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Well, maybe if you get rid of me because

there was always money problems, there

180

was always something that was going on.

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I'm the one to blame.

182

Maybe if I just commit suicide that I

would be able to, you guys would be happy.

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And I used to take on a lot of that

guilt and shame and rejection because

184

my parents never had a good marriage.

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And so that communication style, I think

I just wanted to be heard and understood.

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And I never felt that way.

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You never felt you got that one.

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Okay.

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Which is understandable because

we all need to be, , heard,

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you know, in children.

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Now understand and we do

take on guilt They've really

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affected with broken marriages.

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We see this all everywhere.

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I believe everybody can agree with

that that broken marriages and

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broken homes make broken children, so

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I was glad to hear that That you said

they did the best that they could, and

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I'm willing to bet something happened

in their past where they weren't

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able to parent as they, should have.

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So I'm glad to hear that.

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You have some forgiveness there.

201

Yeah, okay And because that's really

necessary But you said the word judgment

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no judgment zone and I must admit My

antennas go up when I hear that word

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judgment because it's so many times people

use it incorrectly um, it depends on the

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content because god said judge yourself

and then it's another part in the bible

205

that says Don't judge so It's definitely

two different things meanings there.

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So it's really said in the New Testament.

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So it's in Greek.

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So in Greek, , as one of my Bible teachers

at church to say, it's more colorful.

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So it have more, , more words.

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But in English, it's, one word that

they would use that could mean a lot of

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things, but it depends on the context.

212

So, uh, to make it clear, judgment

is Um, the way you're, the way you're

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speaking of is just being able to examine

and look at things because a lot of

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people use that inappropriately and

it shuts down the process to actually

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help somebody because you have to say

something to be able to do something.

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You have to know what, what you're saying.

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What's going on to be able to attack

it, to be able to direct what we

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need to do to stop the problem.

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So you have to expose it.

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But some people, um, misconstrued

that they use it in appropriately.

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And now they stopped that process when

they don't know that they're stopping.

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They actually stop it.

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So, I would like to say it's examined.

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Judging is nobody can judge

but God because he's the only

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good person and able to judge.

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Everybody has done something.

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Everybody is working on things.

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So we can't judge.

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So we leave that judging.

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to him.

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But we still must examine.

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So that being the case, you wanted a safe

place in a non judgmental place, right?

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I guess that's what you should.

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But you wanted a place

where you can be examined.

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So since they didn't know how they just

worked off of what they all they know.

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So I'm glad again that you have

forgiveness and because if you did

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not, it would be hard for you to

move forward because unforgiveness

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leads to bitterness and it's get sour.

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And then it's not what they would

say, uh, compartmentalized is going

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to spill over into other places.

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So you have to deal with it.

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that.

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You can't just leave it there

because it's gonna actually

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spill over to all authority.

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So, and that's exactly

what happened with you.

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So, , in looking back and now that

we explain like examining them having

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this safe place, um, what would you

think they should have done better?

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Now that you're in a better place, we're

looking back now and we can look at this

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picture of you sitting there as a child

and you're having these issues that

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they're not aware of and they have issues.

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So what if we, if it was a perfect

world, so somewhat, what would you as a

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parent do just to validate my feelings?

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Because I knew that they loved me.

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I just didn't feel that they loved me.

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Did they say that they loved you?

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They would, but it was, it always

felt like it was out of obligation.

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Like we were like, I love you.

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I love you too.

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It was never like set me down and say,

you know, I know you got some issues.

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Yeah.

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And we're working on that, but I

really love you no matter what.

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I like that.

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That's a good way to do it.

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At the point where you're examining,

validate the person, encourage the person

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and let them know that you love them.

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And that's how we should do things.

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we should do things in love.

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That means if, if our motives are right,

and we're trying to actually build

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the person up, and not tear them down.

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And they unknowingly were tearing you

down and contributing to the problem.

271

So because most of it was

like, well, why can I do that?

272

Well, because I said so, you know, it's

just like I'm trying to understand.

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I'm trying to be understood and I

never felt like I was understood.

274

It was always Put a band aid on cancer.

275

. Um, and I think that just leads up to,

um, just, you know, I look back at the,

276

the conviction that I was, um, convicted

277

Tell us, um, sorry to interrupt,

tell us a little bit about that.

278

Um, so, So I was, I got a

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I would just turn 18.

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I was in high school.

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It was my senior year.

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And so, um, I was out in Madison and

I met a girl she was 15 at the time.

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She was in high school with me.

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Well, like, you know, we didn't go

to the same high school, but you

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know, we were both in high school.

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And so I liked her.

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She liked me.

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And, um, I wanted to celebrate, and

so we were smoking weed, you know,

289

drinking, and we decided to go back

to, uh, uh, my mom's house in Wales,

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Wisconsin, and we had sex that night.

291

She was, uh She was 15.

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I was 18 at the time.

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How did you know her age?

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Uh, well, she told me.

295

She told you?

296

Yeah.

297

So you knew her age?

298

Yeah, I knew her age.

299

And at that time, you

know, I'm in high school.

300

I didn't really think of

that was inappropriate.

301

You know, um, I didn't like, this

is, we're in high school together.

302

This is my friend, you know, this

is my, this is my little, this is

303

my little girlfriend, you know?

304

And, um, I think it was more of

like I'm getting the attention

305

that I wasn't getting at home.

306

Uh, somebody likes me for me

and we want to build something.

307

I want to celebrate, you

know, I just got a job.

308

I was in celebratory

mode and didn't realize.

309

Uh, I didn't really look at

the red flags looking back.

310

Um, that, why was it so easy for you

to come with me when we just met?

311

Um, where you don't have

to go home while I'm grown.

312

Okay, well, you've grown.

313

So am I, you know, not really

looking at the fact that,

314

well, where's your parents at?

315

I look back at it now.

316

She was, she was, um, she ran away

at the time she was on probation.

317

I found this out later during the

conviction when we get the discovery.

318

Um, so I was still communicating with

her for a couple, about three months.

319

And, um, I got upset.

320

I went out to Madison to get up with her.

321

And my friend and her and her

friend, we were going to go

322

on a date and she let me down.

323

She canceled on me.

324

Who is this?

325

The girl.

326

She let you down?

327

Okay.

328

Yeah.

329

And so I struggle with disappointment

and being letting down and that

330

goes back to my own trauma.

331

And so I said a whole bunch

of, uh, horrible things to

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her and broke up with her.

333

Fast forward.

334

Um, I was called in by Walker Shaw

County, uh, detectives and they asked

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me about the situation and saying,

well, this girl saying you sexually

336

assaulted her at the time, I thought

that she was saying that I forced myself

337

on her and, you know, um, was violent.

338

And you know, raped her.

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So I committed, uh, I, uh, confessed to

having consensual sex with my girlfriend

340

thinking like, no, I didn't rape her.

341

So they let me go.

342

And, um, about a month and a half,

343

was charged with second degree sexual

assault of a minor because she was 15

344

and she legally couldn't give consent.

345

And the discovery, she told her

psychiatrist that we broke up

346

and then we were having sex.

347

Yeah.

348

And so that's when they investigated it.

349

And because I was 18 at

the time, I was an adult.

350

And so back then they didn't have what

they call as a Romeo and Juliet clause

351

with the age difference, which now my

conviction, if I was 18 and she would

352

have been 15 at the time, it would have

been a misdemeanor, but back then it

353

was second degree sexual assault of a

minor, it got dropped down to a third

354

degree and I was sentenced to seven

year probation to consecutive to another

355

separate case of attempted armed robbery.

356

Because after that, I just went downhill

once I got that charge, it just was

357

a matter of time for me to end up

in prison for other things because

358

I was already, um, I got, uh, right.

359

Yeah.

360

I'm sorry to answer it, but why did it

get dropped down to the third degree?

361

Um, well, I wanted it when

I was getting the plea.

362

I wanted to get dropped down

to a fourth degree misdemeanor.

363

But but they said, because I had the

other separate case, they wouldn't drop

364

it down to a misdemeanor because they

already kind of have this perception that

365

I was just violent because I had other

batteries and other things going on.

366

So that was their perception.

367

You think that was the right

perception at the time?

368

Yeah, I was violent.

369

Um, I didn't see that I was

violent towards, sexually violent.

370

So they applied the violence

from the other one to this one.

371

Yeah.

372

So that's why it didn't get dropped down

to the fourth, but it did come down.

373

Yeah.

374

Okay.

375

All right.

376

Um, why did it start at second degree?

377

Cause she was 15 and my

What's the first degree?

378

First degree is like Pedophile.

379

Okay.

380

Rape, first degree,

intentional like force.

381

Okay.

382

Uh, pedophile.

383

Like if you were with a prepubescent

child and she was 15 at the time,

384

so legally she couldn't give

consent and it was already a felony.

385

Right.

386

Since I was 18.

387

Okay.

388

So again, you had that case going on.

389

So was uh, this.

390

What happened before you

did the armed robbery?

391

Okay.

392

So after that, I was supposed

to be, come to court for that.

393

And then like a week before, I was

supposed to appear for court for that.

394

I committed attempted armed

robbery and a reckless.

395

And what?

396

A reckless, uh, a reckless

endangerment safety.

397

Okay, reckless.

398

Yeah.

399

May I put, um, I pulled a knife to

somebody's throat and threatened,

400

um, and attempted to rob them.

401

Was that, it was a, was it that

armed robbery was the night before

402

it was a knife as well, or was it?

403

Yeah, that was the attempted armed

robbery because no money was taken.

404

No money was.

405

Okay.

406

Um, why didn't it, why

didn't you take the money?

407

Cause he didn't have any.

408

I mean, what did you say?

409

Okay.

410

I'll just let you go.

411

Yeah.

412

Like let you go.

413

But they called the police.

414

And

415

when we went in, They were going to try

to get dropped down to the attempted armed

416

robbery because no money was took and

no money was demanded because, uh, due

417

to what I was saying was pocket check.

418

And what did you, what did you just say?

419

I said, I said pocket check.

420

I put somebody, put a knife to somebody's

throat and I said pocket check.

421

I didn't demand it.

422

So in the courtroom, we asked them

to define what pocket check means and

423

nobody could, but since a felony was

committed, the reckless endangering

424

safety, that's why it was pocket check.

425

Pushed to the arraignment and

it's just, it was, you said pocket

426

check and what does that mean?

427

Like I'm going to go in your pockets.

428

That's what you said.

429

Yeah.

430

So you, so it has to be a, you

was talking this language and

431

that person understood that it.

432

Okay.

433

Yeah.

434

You were robbing them.

435

Yeah.

436

Okay.

437

And they didn't have any money.

438

So I left it.

439

Went on my way.

440

Okay.

441

All right.

442

So now we understand why

they, they, um, yeah.

443

And I had already had others like, uh,

batteries and others like on my record.

444

So they kind of put everything

in a span of, uh, like six

445

months to like nine months.

446

I had other misdemeanor charges

with a fight with my dad.

447

And a fight at school.

448

And they're like, no,

you need to be locked up.

449

And so I got five years in for

the robbery, and five years

450

extended supervision for the

attempted armed robbery case.

451

For the third degree sexual assault,

because I got dropped down, it was

452

seven years probation, run consecutive

to the ten year robbery sentence.

453

So after I would have finished the ten

year robbery sentence, then I would start

454

the third degree sexual assault case.

455

It was, oh, it wasn't combined.

456

No, it was one consecutive.

457

So, now the seven year probation case,

they had a stay and oppose sentence,

458

uh, four years in and five years out.

459

If I, if I completed the seven

years probation, I would just

460

do seven years probation.

461

Okay.

462

If I didn't.

463

I would go back for four years

automatically in five years,

464

which that ended up happening.

465

Okay.

466

So, so, um, I'm going to

interrupt there a little bit

467

to give the audience

some background on this.

468

It's the Romeo and Juliet law.

469

It's where it doesn't make.

470

Sex with a teenager legal, but it

exists to prevent the offender from

471

having to register as a sex offender.

472

So what they do is they apply this when

there's a small age difference between the

473

two parties so that everyone understand

what the Romeo and Juliet lie is.

474

Not every state has it

to my understanding.

475

Wisconsin does not have it.

476

Um, what

477

under this law too, and not having

this in place, I would say it

478

can be a lifetime registration.

479

So are you a lifetime registration?

480

15 years, 15 years.

481

Praise God for that.

482

That's I think that's good because

in some cases they can hit people

483

with a lifetime registration.

484

So yeah, I think due to the, the,

the circumstances of the offense,

485

that's why they made it for 10 years.

486

And

487

I think that's up to the judge, right?

488

So that is something to be thankful for.

489

because it could have been because

some people are hit lifetime for this.

490

So I wanted to tell the audience

that it is very vital that young men

491

understand this, especially if they

live in the state of Wisconsin and

492

other states, that the girl, whether

she consents or not, is a woman.

493

She is considered a minor, meaning

that she cannot give consent and

494

the state would take up the case.

495

It, once they find out they're going to

take it up, , it does not matter what

496

that parents say or the child say, the

state actually prosecutes those cases.

497

So it can, you can have cases where

I've looked some of these things up.

498

Anybody can look this up online,

um, about, especially here

499

in Wisconsin, how you can.

500

If you can just send pictures, if

you're a minor, if you're looking

501

at pictures, somebody exposed

themselves, you can get charged.

502

So this is very critical that people

understand what, what's going on

503

here because they can wake up like

you thinking that it's nothing and

504

it's easy to do that, considering

our culture that's saturated with

505

sex, it's, um, you have young girls

walking around improperly dressed.

506

They look way older than what they are,

and they're so easily can fool men.

507

I've heard, I've talked to a lot

of men that this has been the case.

508

They didn't, they thought they was older.

509

And they didn't check.

510

They need to check.

511

Birth certificates do not

believe what they say.

512

, I'm an advocate where, , the

way God intended it is to be

513

in the boundaries of marriage.

514

And this is one of the reasons why.

515

Because if you get caught outside those

boundaries, you can get locked up.

516

And it's confusing considering how

people dress, how you have a lot of,

517

uh, instances and laws where they're

saying where young kids can give

518

consent, for instance, to do sex

changes, different things like that.

519

But then in this instance, we

have it where they cannot give

520

consent to have sexual intercourse.

521

Anybody would be confused

in that sort of scenario.

522

So my heart goes out to you,

I suggest you get informed.

523

That's the reason for this

show, to reduce the recidivism

524

rate, to keep you out of jail.

525

And if you go, don't go back.

526

These are things that you need to

understand is the laws of the land where

527

you stay because it does impact you.

528

And if you have young people,

please talk to them about this.

529

Just sending pictures

of themselves exposed.

530

On their phones.

531

It's in the girl for as I'm understanding,

it's not being charged with that boy

532

is going to be charged for pornography.

533

Um, even though she doesn't want, even

though the girl may not want to be

534

charged, but if she was to get angry

at you because you said, I'm not saying

535

this happened with you, but I'm just

going to say if the girl happens to

536

get angry, even if you're saying 16.

537

She's 16.

538

You all have sex.

539

You can get charged.

540

Yeah.

541

Period.

542

That's so our audience understand

this and how huge this is and how

543

this is affecting a lot of people.

544

And this, you need to be sitting

down because I'm going and doing

545

adult things like having sex.

546

You don't understand the consequences

of it and how easy you're on a win.

547

On a whim of a female saying that

just going and talking about it, it

548

can get back and get you locked up.

549

Yeah.

550

So yes, Mitch is right here.

551

You all can't see him.

552

He's understanding exactly what I'm

saying because he has experienced it.

553

So again, here we are, Mitch,

not much age difference, did

554

have consent from the young lady.

555

Wait, Mitch was a werewolf?

556

that he can get charged.

557

Just that little bit of information

changed the whole trajectory of your life.

558

But what we do here, we encourage

because you can learn from this

559

and Mitch is going to inform more

people because He's living it.

560

And people, you know, route people to the

show, let them hear this episode because

561

this is very, very impactful because it's

so easy for someone to get locked up.

562

This could happen to anybody.

563

Yeah.

564

And I just want to say that,

you know, looking back,

565

I would have did it way differently.

566

Like, you know, taking the time to get to

know her, you know, I look at my part in

567

the, in just seeing the red flags and then

looking at the case that she was running.

568

She was on probation.

569

She was seeing a psychiatrist.

570

Had I would have took the time

to get to know her, it would have

571

probably had a different outcome.

572

See, I was at the time, I was just

thinking about, Oh, she's into me.

573

You know, I get to get what I want out

of the situation because what teenage

574

boy doesn't want to have sex, you know,

and especially if it's agreeable, you

575

know, and I look at it ruined my life.

576

Yes.

577

It can, you know,

everybody, everybody has.

578

And this one here, in this case, anybody

can get caught up in this situation.

579

So at the time you weren't at that

age of 18, then you put on some of

580

the traumas that you're going to,

just not even without the trauma,

581

you still weren't mentally able to

make decisions like that and let

582

alone with the other stuff going on.

583

So yeah.

584

So.

585

20 years later, I'm still having rules

that says that I can't do this, I

586

can't do that, I can't go to the park.

587

I mean, I'm not gonna say, I don't want

to be too crude here, but we need to

588

be a little bit, to get a little raw.

589

Was it worth it?

590

No, it was not worth it.

591

Because, like, just, had I would have

known what was at stake, Of like, okay,

592

if this is what you want to do, these

are the consequences when we talked about

593

when we started out about being honest.

594

And then I don't want to be honest

because it comes with punishment.

595

And I would have known the punishment

of what I would have had to go through

596

where I have to get approval just to data

adult age appropriate consenting woman.

597

She has to be my P.

598

O.

599

They have to talk about the conviction.

600

Uh, what if she has kids, you know,

what is the perception of that?

601

You know, I'm not going out here trying

to groom kids and, uh, you know, on

602

some, a pedophile or child molester or

predatorial, I just want to have my life

603

back and I can't go to the lake front

without a chaperone, I can't go to certain

604

places because public perception is.

605

Oh, he's he's a sex offender.

606

You know, lock the doors.

607

Put it well.

608

And in fact, if we actually look at it,

it's a lot of people are sex offenders

609

and just not having to register and

looking at how this case happened.

610

They can't really point fingers at you.

611

Yeah, if it's looked at, at this

level, the DOC, they put everybody

612

in the same category because I'm not

just talking about their, I'm talking

613

about the culture, the community.

614

And um, it's like, you see these videos.

615

And you see these girls imitating

these videos, you know, posture

616

in their bodies and I'll do, you

know, and it's like, and then you're

617

saying, Oh, you're a sex offender.

618

And , you know, our desires are natural.

619

And then people are getting

triggered by this behavior.

620

Yeah.

621

But then.

622

You want to lock them up, but it's no

accountability on a community side or on

623

a parent's side in Churches and government

everywhere that this has to be looked

624

at as well holistically Holistically

because right now you're living in a

625

hostile environment, you know with this

virus Because it's all these triggers.

626

That's why they have it.

627

You can't be on the internet, right?

628

You um, you can't go to like for you

have to be stopping around you have to

629

do this This is because they put you in

with how they look at pedophiles Yeah,

630

and then they got domicile restrictions

too that says if your conviction wasn't

631

committed in us, uh our city At a

certain time, you can't live in our city.

632

We're gonna banish you from our city.

633

And we're gonna force you to be homeless.

634

And you gotta live over here,

and you gotta bounce around.

635

And that's what my situation is,

because my, my, my conviction

636

is out in Wales, Wisconsin.

637

And Milwaukee has a, uh, an ordinance.

638

that says that if my conviction

wasn't committed in the city of

639

Milwaukee prior to 2016, then I can't

reside in the city of Milwaukee.

640

So now I'm forced to be homeless,

put on a bracelet, a GPS bracelet,

641

so the DOC can monitor me.

642

Even though I've had many residents.

643

I've had many addresses in Milwaukee prior

to the ordinance going in effect, but now

644

they changed because I was in prison at

the time when they changed the ordinance.

645

Now I can't live in the city.

646

Where am I going to go?

647

I can't go here.

648

I can't go here.

649

I can't go here.

650

I can't go here.

651

So now I'm just bouncing around.

652

So how are you here?

653

This is, should you be here?

654

Technically, no.

655

Okay.

656

But, um, uh, I registered with sort,

which is the sex offender registry.

657

And then now I have to go ahead and

hear from the department, uh, the police

658

department to say, if I'm in violation,

which a lot of times they fall through

659

the cracks or the police going to send

me a, uh, uh, uh, ordinance violation.

660

So I can challenge it because I want to

get grandfathered in because I've had

661

many times, uh, residents prior to 2016

in the city mall, and that's why I should

662

have grounds to be grandfathered in.

663

So I.

664

Couldn't reside so I

could be in a safe place.

665

So you're waiting to hear back

from, how do you say the, the,

666

the Department of Correction.

667

Um, I mean, not the Department of

Corrections, the police department

668

with a violation of the ordinance.

669

'cause I've already registered here at,

at, um, so you're waiting to hear back?

670

Yeah.

671

So how long is that gonna take?

672

It could take, however, however

long they, they look at it.

673

So they are looking at it, I don't know.

674

It could fall through the cracks.

675

Oh, I'm, I'm believing

that I'm hidden in Christ.

676

Until I'm all I got ten months of paper

left and I'll be done completely off

677

of this the third degree sexual assault

case I'll be completed in because I've

678

been out four years and two months.

679

Okay, so you won't have to register

anymore I'll have the register 15 years

680

from now, but I won't have the DOC with

the rule Rules and stuff like that.

681

I can move to a different I

got family in other states.

682

So how long do you have again before that?

683

Ten, ten months.

684

Ten months.

685

Yeah.

686

Is it okay you doing this interview?

687

Yeah.

688

Okay.

689

I, I see why that could

I did an interview.

690

No, I did an interview

691

No, 2016 when they just made

the ordinance with Brad Hicks.

692

And it's on, uh, Fox 6 News.

693

You could probably I tried to find him.

694

I didn't You And when?

695

When did you have the interview?

696

I think that's when he left.

697

I looked, I was looking

at trying to see where.

698

Cause Brad Hicks is no longer with

699

Yeah, he was doing the Fox News interview.

700

Okay, I have to go back and look

because I was the one I was a big

701

advocate on trying to get because they

had everybody homeless at that time.

702

And Mark Weinberg from Chicago was a

lawyer that he actually, uh, represented,

703

uh, represented, uh, like seven sex

offenders and got the ordinance rescinded.

704

But there's still an ordinance on it.

705

Not as extreme.

706

Okay.

707

Yeah, I want it.

708

The reason why I was mentioning this

a little bit because, um, you know,

709

they say you have a debt to society.

710

So, which you do, but society

has some accountability as well.

711

And I want to bring that up

in, you know, to the surface.

712

So we look at everything.

713

So

714

, just to recap what we've been talking

about, we talked about your case,

715

how you perceive you got there,

what you think could have helped.

716

you perceive you got there is

because of your broken home.

717

, some mental issues that was going

on, um, how you were parenting, and

718

then you looked at how you think

your parents could have helped, uh,

719

encouragement along with punishment.

720

What type of punishment do you

think they should have had?

721

I just think that With my family,

there was a lack of resources just

722

with the help from the public school

system with the IEP whole situation.

723

I think if I would have had more mentors,

cause I didn't really, I don't really

724

remember having a lot of mentors, a

lot of people that were advocates.

725

Yeah.

726

But what kind of, because

there is accountability, right?

727

When, so I won't use the word punishment.

728

It is accountability.

729

So what kind of accountability

do you think you should have had?

730

I mean, When this was going on

is I don't think anything would

731

work being honest because I

wanted to do what I wanted to do.

732

I was very rebellious and I don't

think anything, any punishment or

733

accountability probably would have helped.

734

Like, so what?

735

Yeah.

736

What do you think it should have

happened and how would I think, I

737

just think that if I would've had

more of a positive influence, more

738

positive role models and mentors, that

would've been the deterrent for me.

739

Not to continue my antisocial, but

that, that sounds like, I know, but

740

you said nothing would've helped.

741

So how that that would, how is that?

742

That sound like that would help.

743

Nothing would have helped as

far as punishment is concerned.

744

Let me clarify that.

745

Nothing like taking my games

away or doing this or beating

746

me or verbally assaulting me.

747

Like none of that would have worked.

748

Don't do that.

749

If I would have had more outlets with

mentorship and advocacy and stuff like

750

that and having probably a better peer

group, I think that would have helped.

751

More of a positive reinforcement.

752

I'm an advocate of both.

753

I think there should be a balance though.

754

So, I don't agree with rewarding

bad behavior because that's

755

going to promote bad behavior.

756

Um, because you know I come

from a family where I have a

757

twin brother that's locked up.

758

He's been in and out and that's

why I do what I do because I want.

759

Change.

760

Yeah.

761

Looking at things.

762

I'm glad you agree with me.

763

So I'm trying to see where would

you say the, um, I hate to say

764

punishment or however you may

say a correction, but you can't.

765

Just reward or, or ignore an issue.

766

So what can the parent

thinking about it this way?

767

What can the parents have done?

768

And you saying you were very

rebellious, not, it's not that it's, um,

769

that, you know, you, you put these

things in place to help for boundaries.

770

I would say to, to let the kid know, and

adults know that there are repercussions.

771

So if you don't have any, No wonder

they're going to keep, cause they don't

772

understand that there's accountability.

773

So my thing is if you would have had

some checks done, man, you know, some

774

accountability, not the negative stuff,

cause they, they tried the best they

775

can, but they did it not appropriately

and negative stuff, but it still

776

should be something in place so that.

777

You understand it starts to get in your

head like, Hey, there's repercussions.

778

Like, what are the repercussions?

779

Cause my son, he would do that.

780

He, uh, thank God he never went to jail,

but I just sat in his head right away.

781

There is accountability.

782

So what he would do and probably

what you would have done in those

783

circumstances, he'll go right

all the way up to the boundary.

784

Cause he knew there was coming.

785

Then he'll come back.

786

Yeah.

787

So it's like what I did with him.

788

Was, uh, uh, you know, some talking

as well as taking away and when some,

789

cause you catch it small, let him go

through the consequences of it and then

790

tell him why he's going through it.

791

Yeah, I didn't have that.

792

And then, and.

793

No, it's talk.

794

Show, show him what it is and tell

him, hey, this is why I'm going

795

to allow it and I'm going to help.

796

Sometimes you don't have

to use extension cord.

797

Yeah, you don't have to

have those talk, right?

798

No, it's just like you know what

a lot of times you already get the

799

whooping I don't have to use the belt.

800

I'm like, I'm telling you this

is a whooping right here This is

801

what happens when you do this.

802

So you can understand there's consequences

because if you don't show them this

803

They're gonna think there is none though.

804

And then they're gonna get bam Yeah,

you get sideswiped like I didn't

805

know I didn't know about this.

806

So anyway, we're wrapping this up

Thank you for it The interview.

807

I just want to say, um, this

was great and this is something

808

people need to listen to.

809

But it's, again, it's getting informed

and I want to cut a verse here.

810

It says in the Bible, it comes

about talking about mind and

811

what we're doing here is like,

we're actually renewing our mind.

812

You're getting the information so

that you'll know how to, , behave

813

because whatever you think,

that's how you're going to act.

814

So it says, do not.

815

conform any longer to the pattern of this

world, but be transformed by the renewing

816

of your mind, then you will be able to

test and approve what God's will is.

817

His good, pleasing and perfect will.

818

And that's the pleasing and perfect

will is for you to be healthy, for

819

you, for the community to be safe.

820

Yeah.

821

You know, for you not to.

822

Escalate like you did in getting

into other crimes because that was

823

just the start and it escalated.

824

So where do you think you're at now?

825

Well, I'm in recovery right now and

really re evaluating what, where

826

did it all start, you know, and

counteracting these strongholds.

827

Are you taking responsibility?

828

Yeah, I'm taking responsibility.

829

I'm med compliant now.

830

I've been clean for six months

now off all drugs and alcohol.

831

That's great.

832

Um, I'm currently in In hope through

restoration Sober living house.

833

This is a great place.

834

I'm here.

835

Yeah.

836

And, um, I hope it's more like this.

837

Yeah.

838

LT Austin, he runs this program

so everybody that you know,

839

he's should know about this.

840

And he's so accountable because

he actually talks to you.

841

Mm-Hmm.

842

. I've had men leave my whole life.

843

Mm-Hmm.

844

never led.

845

We need, yeah.

846

We need more strong men like that.

847

Yeah.

848

So you.

849

So we're wrapping this up,

you're saying that you're taking

850

responsibility, you've forgiven your

parents, have you forgiven yourself?

851

Yeah, I have.

852

Have you forgiven yourself?

853

Yes, I have.

854

Okay, good.

855

Because a lot of people have guilt

and they can't forgive themselves.

856

Yeah, and that's just to honor

who I am as far as God's creation.

857

You know, I have to love myself.

858

So I love my neighbor as myself.

859

So that starts with self.

860

, I thank you for this interview.

861

Thank you.

862

A lot of people, I'm pretty sure is

going to get a lot of, a lot of value

863

out of this because this is, , for

family members, for people that locked

864

up as well as people involved in the

justice system, as well as, um, you

865

know, judges, lawyers, all advocates.

866

is that it's working , in this type

of deal and plus being able to help

867

people that's reentering, especially

people that , have a sex case because

868

it's reentry is harder for them than.

869

for people that don't have it.

870

And again, we talked about the Christian

perspective, , how God looks at this

871

and we looked at our community holding

our community accountable as well

872

because they are accountable as well.

873

Not just yourself, but that

doesn't excuse how you should be

874

responding and behaving as well.

875

And I'm glad to see that

you you're forgiven.

876

Have you forgiven the community?

877

Yes, I have because I know I have

to take accountability in the things

878

that I do at the end of the day.

879

I have a choice in the matter.

880

And so what I do, it affects not only

me, but it affects everybody else.

881

That was the end of my

interview with Mitch Stu Pika.

882

We really thank him.

883

It is so good to have

someone be so transparent.

884

When they're being transparent.

885

We can help.

886

Everybody can help.

887

People like Mitch.

888

When he gets to information and we write

reinforcements . Of accountability and

889

him understanding the ramifications.

890

We stop a lot of them

getting into trouble.

891

They simply at times.

892

Just don't know.

893

But if we talk to them, give them

reinforcements, validate them.

894

Make sure they're heard, but

also make sure he understands

895

the consequences again.

896

Mitch Stu Pika.

897

Is a great young man with a lot of talent.

898

In the show notes, I'm going

to be attaching his video with

899

Fox six, as well as his video.

900

That he may wit an amazing song

as you would see, he's amazingly.

901

Talented with so much to give.

902

To our community I'm pretty sure

you're going to be seeing much more.

903

Mitch Stu Pika.

904

Going about trying to tell

other people how not to go.

905

Down the path that he did.

906

Thank you again for listening to the show.

907

May you have a weak field with blessings?