On Felton’s “Freedomversary” – one year since he walked out of prison – he snaps a selfie and sends it along with a simple text: Gm, first year of Freedom.
In the photo, he’s wearing a black and white button-up shirt, the top button undone, smiling in a soft but authentic way. It’s the kind of smile that radiates peace and worthiness, knowing he has earned the life he is living.
“It feels great,” he said. “To be free and not have every aspect of my life controlled. I can work out when I want, eat when I want and have my own space. And I have my own job. I’m surrounded by lots of positive people out here, and I love it.”
Felton was released February 4, 2025, after spending 16 years in prison. For the last eight months, he’s been working maintenance at a large, gated apartment complex in south Baton Rouge, a job he said he is good at and genuinely enjoys. While most people were still waking up, he is already moving. By 10 a.m. on a cool Friday morning, he’s already picked up any trash left in the parking lot and is preparing to turn over an apartment for the next tenant.
As he walks up the stairs of the complex, he pauses to pick up a stray piece of paper before unlocking the next unit on his list. The punch list lives in his head now. He knows exactly what needs to be done.
“Checking the carpet for stains, the walls for holes,” he said with pride. “I look at the air filters to see if they need to be changed and run the water to make sure the bathtub is draining.”
Parole Project helped him get there – teaching him the skills to secure the job, providing an electric bike so he could get to work, and helping him learn the technology needed to navigate the complexities of a digital world.
“They also helped me with my finances, I learned how to fill out an application, and they taught me to focus on what’s in front of me, not behind me,” he said. “That’s what I’m doing. I’m looking forward.”
Felton grew up in Shreveport with supportive parents who taught him the value of working hard, but as a teenager he fell under the influence of some relatives from California with gang ties to Shreveport. At 15, he began selling drugs, joined a gang, and was expelled from school. He was eventually arrested for multiple drug offenses and received two life sentences under the state’s habitual offender statute. In 2021, he became eligible for parole under a law allowing people sentenced to life for nonviolent offenses to be considered after 15 years.
In prison, Felton’s disciplinary record was unblemished – he never received a write‑up. He got sober. He earned his GED and HVAC certifications. He stayed focused.
Since coming home, he’s moved into his own apartment and is saving to buy a car. One step at a time – that’s his pace.
“I mostly go to work, come home, shower, eat and go to bed,” he said. “I have positive people I work with, and I surround myself with good people. I keep a positive mind. If you look at negative, all you’re going to see is negative.”
While Felton knows that success is not a linear path but a journey of peaks and valleys, he also understands that his mindset shapes his choices, how he navigates the world, and how he measures progress.
“I define success by achieving my goals and not paying attention to minor setbacks,” he said. “I’m a good person, and I feel like God gave me a second chance for a reason. I’m blessed. I don’t go by a number anymore. I go by my given name.”
