The Captives Will Be Set Free

If I hadn’t experienced what I’m about to tell you, I might not believe this story myself.  It’s a story of horror, deceit, illusions, unconditional love, forgiveness, growth, and peace.  I spent two decades as a government official protecting my community and safeguarding my country, and then one day I was left reeling as I realized the need to protect my family from my employer.  And the most terrifying thing… this could happen to the family next door, your cousins, your mailman, or YOU.

My significant other, Travis Ford, was investigated for threats made from an Instagram account he did not create or have access.  An account that had four other devices linked to it, and those other devices were not his. 

In a few short months he went from being a law abiding citizen for all 42 years of his life with no criminal history, a productive member of society, generous and charitable, living the American dream to being a convicted felon, sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, having his freedom taken, his reputation permanently tarnished by national media coverage, robbed of the security of having an open conversation in our home, his relationships strained, terrified for his own well-being triggering panic attacks and PTSD, and financially devastated from losing his employment,  including his bank accounts, retirement accounts, investment accounts, and credit cards closed.  He begins serving his sentence on January 11^th at Rochester Federal Medical Center (Rochester, MN). 

In my two decades in the criminal justice field, including working as an officer for the Department of Homeland Security throughout the duration of Travis’s case, this was the most bizarre investigation, prosecution, and exercise of justice I had ever witnessed.   Ever.  Never did I think I would blow the cover of an FBI agent outside our home investigating my significant other.  We are taught to believe defendants in our justice system are innocent until proven guilty.  What Travis experienced was being guilty with little time or opportunity afforded to him to defend his innocence.  

Equally astonishing was the disinterest in the defense counsel to look at the evidence available to show Travis’s innocence or to take any path as a defendant other than accepting a plea agreement.  Not that there was opportunity to “shop” for an attorney and at the time we were grateful to simply have retained any counsel at all due to being leveraged by short timelines, but more about that later.

And the plea agreement I mentioned?  It required Travis never deny guilt (aka speak truth) if he were to have any opportunity of reduced charges and the possibility of probation.  This is why it has taken nearly a year from when this situation began to share the story.  While I’ve never shared my life so openly, it’s time to share my story and let you in to the most intimate elements of my life.  This story is deep, complicated, vastly layered, and in many ways shocking and unfathomable.  A story you usually only see on TV.  

This experience has devastated every aspect of our lives except for one because in every tragedy is opportunity, and we vowed in June to allow this to make us better and not bitter.  From a situation that would tear most couples apart has produced a stronger relationship between the two of us, a tighter knit team, more compassion, more acceptance, more love, and a confidence we are able to traverse anything life throws our way.  We were set free from the captivity of the struggles our relationship had previously experienced.

Many people have asked how we could go through such a nightmare and walk away with a positive perspective, dignity, and strength.  I honestly do not believe we could have without the knowledge and tools of energy psychology and trauma healing.  This, along with a small team of incredible holistic healing colleagues, ensured we remained on a constant trajectory moving forward in both life and personal growth.  Using the tools I use in my relationship and addiction programs, we were able to traverse this tragedy growing stronger as individuals and as a couple.

While it is my hope to inspire you (or even teach you how) to create magic from the massive piles of poop life might hand you, it is my intention to bring truth to light, help you to see what you might not have been able to see happening in your very own communities, learn from our mistakes so you can keep your family protected, and connect with others who are experiencing similar injustices because I know we are not alone.   

I am not here to convince you of anything.  I invite and welcome you to use your own critical thinking skills as you read this story drawing your own conclusions while doing your own research.  That’s how I found truth through the fog and illusions.  Along the way I had to uncover and release many of my personal biases, filters, and preconceived notions from working in the system in order to see clearly.  It stretched what I knew to be true about the world and expanded me as a human in every way possible.  Give yourself the same gift of expansion, and then move into loving action to bring light, truth, love, and harmony to society.  We need it now more than ever.  

Lesson learned:  Have VPNs for all of your tech devices.  Prevent hacking, ensure digital safety and protection, and enable ad-blocking and anti-malware.

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Follow my journey, hear more about this story, and consider all things seen and unseen on my internet radio show, ‘Eyes Wide Open’ airing every Wednesday evening at 6 pm EST/5 pm CST/3 pm PST beginning January 11th. 

Thank you for praying for us, supporting us, sharing our story:  givesendgo.com/travisford

Peace & Love,
Janessa