Selfie Helped Keep A Man From Going To Jail For 99 Years

A Texas man was facing 99 years in prison after his ex-girlfriend told police that he broke into her home and carved an "X" on her chest using box cutters. Authorities arrested Cristopher Precopia in September 2017 who claimed his innocence and even had an alibi. He was charged with burglary of a habitation with the intent to commit other crimes and faced the prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars for a crime he claimed he did not commit.

"I had no idea why everything was happening, and I was lost," he said.

Luckily, for Precopia he was saved by a selfie he took on the night he allegedly attacked his former high school girlfriend. That night, he was actually with his mother, Erin, at a hotel in Austin, which is about 65 miles from the accuser's home. The photo, which was time-stamped and tagged with the location was shared on Facebook, giving him an alibi to go along with the sworn statements of the other people with him that night. 

Nine months after being arrested and charged, officials finally decided to drop the case "in the interest of justice."

But, despite being exonerated Precopia is still haunted by the false accusations. His family spent over $100,000 on attorney fees, and he was denied enlistment in the army based on the charges. 

"He's not the same kid that he was a year and a half ago, which breaks my heart," Erin Precopia said.


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