An Interview with Seth Ferranti: Prisoner #18205-083 by Michelle Daugherty, Summer 2000 Spank Magazine In July of 1991, 20-year old Seth Ferranti was arrested in Fairfax County, Virgina as part of a sting operation stemming from a drug bust. On August 28, 1991, Ferranti pled guilty to "engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise" (read: he sold pot and acid). The offense carried a minimum of 20 years in prison and maximum of life in prison. The next day, a grand jury indicted Ferranti’s associates on 23 counts of possession and distribution of LSD. All but one were eventually sentenced to time in federal prisons. On November 8, 1991, Ferranti staged his suicide and disappeared, fearing for his family’s safety and to avoid having testify against his best friend. One week later, that friend was aquitted. On October 8, 1992, Ferranti became one of the U.S. Marshal’s Top 15 Most Wanted. On October 1, 1993, Ferranti, using an alias, was arrested in Bridgeton, Missouri. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, which he is currently serving in a New Jersey penitentiary. Imagine being busted for drugs and automatically facing a mandatory sentence of possible life imprisonment. What would you do if the only way you could reduce-not eliminate-that sentence was to turn your best friend over to the police? Ferranti made the decision to run because he felt this ultimatum was unfair, especially for his first-time offense. The government was spurred on to pursue this particular case because they believed Ferranti and his friends were dealing to high school students ("children"). In particular, in June of 1991, a 16-year old who was tripping on LSD that allegedly originated from Ferranti’s cache shot and wounded a Fairfax County police officer. Would you run yet? Because a body was never found, authorities never believed that Ferranti had actually killed himself and their search began. Ferranti began sending us samples of his writing and poetry for inclusion in the zine, People Can’t Drive, a zine Michelle started (and a concept that now exists within the pages of Spank). With one of his letters, he enclosed a photocopy of an article that ran in Spin about his situation. The editors at Spank were both annoyed that someone would receive such crappy treatment and subsequent harsh sentence for a relatively insignificant crime. No matter what your stance is on drugs - Is it really worthwhile to imprison someone for 25 years for selling drugs while rapists and child molesters receive less? During his stay in prison, Ferranti has earned a degree in liberal arts from Penn State and his work has been published in numerous publications. He enjoys reading work by Burroughs and Rimbaud. We thought perhaps you’d like to meet the kind of guy taxpayer money is helping our judicial system keep off of the streets. What were you convicted of? Continual criminal enterprise, Title 848 of the Federal Statues (RICO Act); basically it’s known as the "drug kingpin" charge. (Running a continuous criminal enterprise (CCE) entails earning a large gross receipts from selling drugs, the supervision of at least five people in a drug conspiracy, and having committed a series of at least three felony violations). What sentence did you receive and how much of it remains? 304 months; my release date is October 2015 (I have about 15 years left). Was it a trial by jury or sentencing by a Judge? Prosecutors alleged the involvement of my friend, Christopher Buckley, which I initially denied. After a month-long interrogation that ended up with a DA (who is now rumored to be in the witness protection program) screaming in my face that she was going to put me in jail for twenty years if I didn’t testify against Chris. So I agreed to cooperate, thus getting a personal recognizance bond. But I didn’t go through with it; I split. I decided that if I lied to benefit myself, I might as well put a gun to my head. When I was caught, I was sentenced by a Judge because the Feds held me to my plea and wouldn’t let me take it to trial. The Judge said I was an "LSD-machine-gun-toting-skinhead" (from the suburbs?). Are you guilty? I sold drugs - LSD and marijuana - but I was small-time (25 pounds of marijuana, 100 sheets of LSD). It wasn’t like I was a major supplier. I was only 19 years old and was just selling to college friends and the like. The only way the police caught anyone is through pure luck and people narcing - Sherlock Holmes is not on the force. They caught kids who were minor players and told them they’d get off if they’d just name the "kingpin". Is there and appeal pending or an address we can print for donations? Most of my appeals are exhausted. I can still file habeas corpus (post-conviction relief). My parents’ address is: Seth M. Ferranti c/o 10015 Commonwealth Blvd Fairfax, VA 22032 What made you decide and try to evade police for those two years? I became a fugitive because I felt like the system was fucking me: "tell on your friends or go to jail for 20 years." That is what the Feds told me. So I tricked them. But they tricked me in the end; they caught me and I got 25 years. How did you do it? When I was a fugitive, I assumed many different identities. I sold drugs (marijuana) and moved around a lot. I avoided friends and met new people. I used information from Looompanics Press - it’s not what you do, though, it’s your state of mind. During that time, did your family know where you were? Were/are they supportive? I was in regular contact with my mother and father through pre-arranged pay phone scenarios. Yes, they were supportive. They felt I was given no option other than to run. What do you think a fair sentence would have been? Five years. What kind of drug laws would you like to see? I think marijuana, LSD, mushrooms, and ecstasy should be legalized. They are no worse than alcohol. How can the government tell you what to put in your body anyhow? What is an average day in you life like? Get up and try to make it through the day - work out, get some kind of recreation, read (magazines and books), write, keep my positive mental attitude, and not get drawn into any negative prison bullshit (gangs, drugs, gambling, punks). I try to avoid prison staff and avoid problems with other prisoners. Do you think the prison system makes people worse than they were? No- I think you learn how to deal with a variety of knuckleheads (both staff and prisoners). How many publications has your poetry/writing been in? Maybe 15-20. Flipside, Rats in the Hallway, People Can’t Drive, Inner Voices, Damaged Goods, Struggle, The Thought, Blind Man’s Rainbow, Art Times, Washington Times, American Dissident, Razor Wire, Flying Horse, Alpha Beat Press, maybe some others also. When did you begin writing? Probably about 13 years ago (besides school stuff). How much correspondance with people outside do you maintain? I write as many people as possible (mostly women); some relatives. People come and go though. I’m usually writing to about 5-10 people at any given time. Which zines do you like and read? Are there any the prison doesn’t allow you to have? I like Flipside, Rats in the Hallway, People Can’t Drive, High Times, Ben is Dead, Thrasher, Grand Royal, Village Voice, Lollipop, Bomb the Suburbs, Razor Wire. They won’t let anything with sex, nudity, bestiality, like Gaunlet, or pretty much everything else. Do you get to listen to any music? What are your favorites? Yes, I love music. My favorites are Tool, the Deftones, Bad Brains, Pixies, Angry Samonas, Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, Alice in Chains, Nine Inch Nails, Helmet, Ministry, Faith No More, Nirvana, Jane’s Addiction, Fugazi, NOFX. Were you ever into punk rock? I am straight out of Southern California; born and raised. My step dad was in the military so we moved around east coast, west coast, Europe. I’m a military brat and I grew up on the Angry Samoans, Black Flag, Suicidal, Oingo Boingo, the Replacements. I was a skate punk before I was a metalhead but I like anything with an edge to it. How many times have you been moved from prison to prison? I’ve been in a lot of county jails, FCI Fort Dix is my fourth prison (FCI Petersburg (VA), FCI Manchester (KY), FCI Beckley (WV). Do you get used to prison? It’s a state of mind, like "Don’t fuck with me because I’ll hurt you." You have to carry yourself right; be a man, be respectful and demand respect. Be assertive (or you will get eaten alive). What is your cell mate like? I’ve had and seen a variety. Some people in here are dirt, but a few are good, stand-up kind of guys. You learn to judge people in here because all we have in here is our word and if your word is shit, then so are you. What is the first thing you want to do when you’re released? Have sex with my girlfriend, Diane, who has stayed by my side through this ordeal. Maybe have some kids. Be free and just appreciate the little things in life. What do you want out of life? I want to be the next great counter-culture writer and have all of my works published. I am currently working on two books (fiction). How has this experience affected you as a person? I grew up with the view of America as a democracy where there was truth, justice and order. I don’t believe those ideals exist anymore. I am stronger, possibly meaner, more mentally aware, more open and receptive, and able to communicate. I have grown up. I used to be a little, spoiled mama’s boy. Now I am a man. You don’t experience prison, you survive it. Hard men shatter but the strong ones endure. Can you think of anything positive that has come from this experience? More time to write. I am alive. I am not burned out on drugs. I am healthy. Everything happens for a reason, doesn’t it? I just wish my reason wasn’t so long.

COMMENTS? You can Email me at: Seth@PrisonerLife.com Please include your return mailing address.  I cannot send e-mail. Leave me a message on my MESSAGE BOARD Or write me directly at my Prison address.

Prison Address: SETH FERRANTI # 18205-083 / FCI Loretto - Federal P.O. Box 1000 Loretto, PA 15940 Home: Fairfax,  VA 22032