Sentenced to Life

The Path to Redemption and Freedom for Prisoner E-25212

Sentenced to Life is the riveting story of Curtis Roberts, who served twenty-nine years in prison for three unarmed robberies totaling $116. But God set Curtis free long before his eventual release from San Quentin. His journey is one of faith, redemption, and unexpected grace.

In 1995, high on drugs and low on cash, Curtis Roberts walked into a liquor store, spied two twenties lying on top of an open register, and pocketed the bills. He’d just committed his third strike. The judge sentenced him to fifty years to life. Curtis became number E-25212, a lifer in California’s Department of Corrections.

Curtis Roberts's story captured the hearts of people around the globe after he spoke on an award-winning podcast called Ear Hustle, where real prisoners share stories of their daily realities on the inside. Almost overnight, Curtis’s segment, entitled “Left Behind,” received 750,000 hits.

“I think the perception is that we’re these monsters in here. I am not a monster," Curtis said. "I’m a stupid idiot that did drugs and stole money. I’m still human, though.” Sentenced to Life is the story of his humanity and his redemption.