Choices and consequences: Former Nevada 'enforcer' speaks to juvenile offenders in Cape

Shawn Smith can still remember sitting in a Spanish class while incarcerated in a federal prison and seeing his fellow inmates walk by, laughing at him.

Their taunting didn't bother him because he was focused on "jacking" as much knowledge as he could, Smith told a group of juveniles housed in Division of Teens Services on Thursday.

Smith spoke to 18 juvenile offenders sentenced to treatment at Girardot Center, part of the state's Division of Youth Services, Thursday night, telling them their future all boils down to choices and consequences.

"The choices you make today are the consequences tomorrow," Smith said.

More than 20 years ago, Smith was a notorious "enforcer" for one of the biggest cocaine dealers in Nevada, lured by the fast-paced, luxurious lifestyle from his Las Vegas nightclub job as a security specialist.

At the age of 28, his lifestyle landed him in a federal prison in Colorado on firearms and drug trafficking charges.

He received a sentence of 211 months and had to calculate the number of years once back in his cell using toilet paper to scribble the figures, he said.

Once in prison, Smith said, he began taking classes, both in prison and through mail correspondence, and began planning his re-entry into the world.

Gathering as much information as possible -- for example, knowing every guideline and restriction of his parole -- was an important part of turning his life around, he said.

"Whoever has the most information makes the best decision," Smith said.

Smith talked about the importance of associating with people who will only provide "good" information and warned juvenile offenders to stay away from peers likely to get in brushes with the law themselves.

"I allowed myself to associate with some individuals, and it got me a bit in a federal correctional institution," Smith said.

While in prison, Smith, known for his expertise in firearms, special weapons and hand-to-hand combat, captured five national federal prison powerlifting championships.

He also began to get involved in Toastmasters International, a public speaking group, and other inmate organizations that helped him develop skills to aid his transition back into society.

In 1992, Smith's 17-year, eight-month sentence was remanded and his case reversed by a higher court.

"When those prison doors opened, I was ready to come out," he said.

Now, 16 years later, Smith has developed an organization called Guiding Individuals from Trouble, a not-for-profit geared toward steering at-risk teens away from gangs, and owns his own consulting business, Urbantalk Networks.

He is also one of the founders of the nationally acclaimed ex-offender re-entry Las Vegas program called Evolve.

"Prison saved my life because I was on the road to destruction," Smith said.

He cautioned the group of juveniles not to fall into the habit of defining themselves by the situation they are in.

"This is a temporary situation. Never confuse it with anything else," Smith said.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

388-3635

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