Letter to the Editor

Editor’s note: We occasionally run letters of apology here at the Courier. These typically arise through our relationship with the courts as the newspaper of record for Valley County. In other words, these apologies are usually ordered by a judge. The letter below was neither solicited, nor mandated, and was submitted voluntarily.

“My name is Cinnamon. I am an addict. My addiction began when I was 13 years old, long before I even knew what addiction was. Back then, using was a way of survival, a way of life,  and I used off and on until 1999. That year I was faced with losing my daughter, so I immediately entered and completed a treatment program, and remained clean for 14 years.

A few years ago, I relapsed, and I again became a slave to my addiction. But this time this affliction came upon me stronger than I’d ever experienced before.

At the time of my relapse, I was working for the post office in Glasgow. In my efforts to hide my addiction,  and to support my habit, I had my drug of choice mailed to me from someone I knew out of state.

I resigned my position at the post office after finally admitting to the authorities who were investigating my crime, what I had done.

Although I wasn’t arrested at that time, I knew the investigation would eventually lead to charges being filed against me, which they recently have been.

Last week I pleaded guilty to these charges in federal court. I will be sentenced later this year and will likely be going to prison; I don’t yet know for how long.

I have lost my right to vote. I have lost my right to receive Social Security. I have lost my right to receive federal benefits. I have lost a job that I loved more than any job in my life. I will have to reveal my conviction on any future job applications. I will soon likely lose my freedom. I have also lost the respect and trust of many.

These losses are great and will be with me the rest of my life, but they will never compare to the shame, guilt and regret that I feel for what this has done to my family, namely my precious daughter, to my friends, and to the community of Glasgow.

I was so very blessed with a job that I loved, and I threw it away over an addiction that reared its ugly head when I foolishly believed I had beaten it.

Although I am now clean and have been the past 2 years, I understand it doesn’t excuse what I have done. I betrayed the trust of my employer.

I showed blatant disregard and disrespect for the law, and I broke the hearts of the people who loved me and believed in me.

I alone am responsible for my actions, and I take full responsibility for what I’ve done.

To the people of the wonderful town of Glasgow, I humbly ask for your forgiveness. I could never adequately express in words how deeply and profoundly sorry I am for the mistakes that I made and for the crime that I committed not only against you, but against the government of this country that I love.

To the people of Plentywood, I would like to add that my crime was isolated solely to a portion of time that I worked for the post office, and never once did I ever bring any kind of drug into this town, nor did I ever use my most recent job for any illegal activity. My drug use ended long before I moved to Plentywood.

It is my sincere hope that if anyone reading this is currently in the grips of addiction, that you seek help now. This disease is dangerous and deadly and I implore you to seek help before it costs you your job, costs you your family, costs you your freedom, or even worse, costs you your life.

To those of you that know me, and who have supported and loved me through this, I love and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

It will be because of that love and support, and through the grace and forgiveness of my Lord Jesus Christ, that when this is over, I will finally be able to begin to rebuild my life.”

– Cinnamon Fulghum