by Nick Delgado

Guam - The recent armed robbery cases that have been occurring throughout the island have some residents living in fear. It's a growing problem that the Guam Police have over a dozen active cases. In light of recent events, one Department of Corrections inmate is speaking out in hopes to do his part to minimize the crime from spreading even further.

Inmate Jeffrey Cruz was sentenced to 25 years behind bars. He was convicted of two separate robberies nearly 12 years ago and is currently at DepCor's Maximum Security Unit. "I wasn't 100% myself," he explained, "I was too high and only thinking of being in that feeling, getting into it - lack of control and that's the problem with today's society."

Cruz requested to speak with the media about his experience, what led him to conduct the actions he did a decade ago, and express why he would take it all back. "Drugs is really a big factor in this whole thing, when you start taking drugs like Ice, you just continue to want more and more and more because the lack of control they don't care as long as they get the money. That's their main objective is to take from whatever establishment they feel has money but its really wrong because they are not thinking of the safety what if they got shot in the commission and die," he said.

Further detailing what goes on inside the criminal mind of suspects who rob people at gunpoint, Cruz says is a result of the addiction of drugs and greed. "When you rob something you are going to finish it and you are not working so you are going to end up doing it again and again until you get caught. And then you are going to realize but realizing is going to be too late," he said.

Too late for others like Cruz, he admits doing time behind bars does not change the individual. Cruz, who has a history of breaking out of jail most recently in 2005, says he is taking it upon himself to get treatment and hopes to spread the message that crime doesn't pay.

"Being in here takes me away from all the good things that I like, my family, my loved ones when they sick I cant be there, those things bother me and that's why I'm making a stand for the better," he said.

READ CRUZ'S APOLOGY LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY