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by Ameer Williams (Author)
13 felonies. 5 years in prison. Now a police sergeant.
The first documented case in United States history.
Ameer Williams had 13 felonies and a five-year prison sentence. He missed his daughter's birth. He watched his son grow up through letters and pictures. When he came home in 2003, every job application asked the same question: "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?"Every time he answered honestly, doors slammed in his face.
A university professor looked him in the eye and said, "It doesn't matter if you get a pardon. No one will touch you. You won't work in this field."
The system was designed to keep him trapped. Society expected him to fail.
He refused.
On December 12, 2012, Ameer received a full pardon-the longest criminal record ever pardoned in Connecticut at that time. Two years later, on July 28, 2014, he became a police officer with the New Haven Police Department. In 2021, he was promoted to sergeant, making him the first documented convicted felon to become a police sergeant in United States history.
But his story doesn't end there.
Through M.E.G.A. Inc. (Making Everyone Great Again), Ameer has helped over 700 people receive pardons and rebuild their lives. He started businesses with his cousin, who came home after serving 14 years in federal prison. He fought brutal custody battles for his three children and won. He survived a near-fatal motorcycle accident that doctors said might cost him his leg and his career. He earned two master's degrees while working full-time as a police officer and is now pursuing his PhD in Criminal Justice.
This is not a book about glorifying the streets.
This is a book about what happens after you do wrong. About redemption. About fatherhood. About faith. About refusing to quit when every door slams in your face.
From Prison to the Precinct: Velma's Son is proof that your past does not have to be your prison. That it's not how you start-it's how you finish.
Inside this book:
- The brutal reality of coming home from prison with 13 felonies
- How Officer Michele Dobson became the guardian angel who opened the door
- Fighting for custody of three children against impossible odds
- The University of New Haven rejection-three times
- The motorcycle accident that nearly destroyed everything
- Building M.E.G.A. Inc. and helping 700+ people get second chances
- Starting businesses with his cousin after they both served time
- Becoming the first convicted felon to police sergeant in US history
"I am us and I am them. We are all one."
If you've ever been told you'll never amount to anything, this book is for you.
If you're fighting for a second chance, this book is your testimony.
If you believe redemption is possible, this book is your proof.
Perfect for readers of:
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman
- The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
Ameer Williams is a sergeant with the New Haven Police Department, founder of M.E.G.A. Inc., and host of the podcast Pardon My Thoughts (launching January 2026). He is featured in the documentary Us vs Them(premiering January 2026) and was honored as a 2023 Connecticut Hall of Change "Great 8er." He holds two master's degrees and is pursuing his PhD in Criminal Justice. He is a proud father of three and lives in New Haven, Connecticut.
Your past is not your prison.
It's not how you start. It's how you finish.
Get it done.
