On His 50th, Inmate Yearns For Outside Friends

A tireless advocate for
prison and parole reform

Charles E. Zellers, Sr., is a friend at Buckingham Correctional Center with whom I've been communicating through letters, emails and phone calls since February 2014. He turns 50 April 10, and I'd love to see him get some cards on his special day (Or you can send him birthday greetings via my email address and I will forward them to him).

Charles was incarcerated in January, 1993, in his early 20's after entering an Alford Plea, at which time his public defender assured him he should be released on parole in a matter of a few years with continual good behavior. Charles has far, far exceeded that goal by successfully completing the prescribed DOC treatment plan and taking every available class possible to better himself. Since  2006 he has been employed  by Virginia Correctional Enterprises (VCE) - Buckingham's Sheet Metal Shop where he is a respected lead man in the metal furniture assembly process.

In spite of having been eligible for discretionary parole since 2005, he has been denied 9 times, and was most recently given a three-year deferral, which means his case will not be reviewed again until 2021. His goals upon release continue to be to get a full-time job, to become a part of a caring church, to help get his aging mother's affairs in order, and to volunteer to help others.

Charles has sent me numerous proposals that he recommended for DOC and ones that he would like to help implement and participate in upon his release from prison. Some have to do with providing computers to deserving people in exchange for turning in ammunition and firearms.

In his own words, Charles is reaching out for the following:

> compassionate unconditional friendships from individuals who will accept him for who he is today and not for the crime for which he was incarcerated for over 25 years ago;

> a church with members who will accept him with love and provide him with a chance to prove himself trustworthy;

> organizations which would accept him as a volunteer who wishes to help better the community and the state.

> advocates who would help to find employment

> advocates who would search for employers from around the Commonwealth who agree to hire parole candidates;

> provide information on employers who are open to hiring parolees to <harvyoder@gmail.com> so he can post them on the APP-HRC database;

> information on pro-parole activists who would agree to help prepare post-release plans.

> friends who are knowledgeable in computer programming using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

> advocates who could urge Virginia Parole Board members to grant parole release to deserving old-law parole-eligible inmates before they reach their senior years. 

Charles E. Zellers, Sr.

DOC # 1036758

Buckingham Correctional Center

P. O. Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936

Anyone willing to write Charles directly through email would need to contact JPay.com and have their name and email address added to his account. JPay stamps are as follows:

5 - JPay Stamps $1.95

20 - JPay Stamps $6.95

40 - JPay Stamps $9.95