Sevier County - County Jail - Richfield, Utah
I'll start at the beginning from a Mom's point of view.
My son's name is Craig Braito. He is 45 years old and is in Richfield, Utah. He has been incarcerated since May of 2018.
I watched my son fight for 2 years to gain custody of his two youngest children as their mother ended up in a place where she was no longer good for them. He, as an ex-con, had to fight and prove himself extra hard as a good parent. It is important to state that his past crimes had NOTHING to do with harming others in any way.
After 2 years of counselling, therapy and such, he was granted custody.
He is married and has been being a stepdad to 2 girls for about ten years at this time, and his family is by his side going through this with him.
His oldest stepdaughter, 14 years old at the time, was apparently secretly angry about the situation as she wasn't the center of attention anymore! A few months after the children moved in, and going through the adjustments that come in a situation like this, is when the false allegation is announced and my son is arrested.
After the arrest he was immediately treated poorly and not told of his charges for about two weeks. There wasn't much of an investigation other than they interviewed all of the children at the children's justice center.
Someone from DCFS, a Guardian Ad Lidem, went to see Craig's wife and the four children about a week or two after his arrest and said she didn't feel comfortable about the situation for them, his two, so had them placed back in the foster home they were in while waiting for him to get custody. They have since been adopted by this family, thank goodness.
The jail he is placed in is horrible, at best. He's deprived of his medications, information, a proper diet and sunshine. He was here for 4 years (thanks to Covid) and in that time developed serious heart issues and is now on medication for life. Other inmates suffered as well and the boldness of a public defender got the ACLU involved. She noticed the neglect and decline in their health and appearance when visiting. She's a true blessing.
I made the big mistake of hiring the wrong attorney. I was under his spell believing he could help. I paid for the lie detector AND eye detector tests to be done and Craig, of course, passed both. Neither one is admissible in court, but this Attorney thought he could do this.
Eventually, after I sold everything, including my house, to pay him, Craig fired him.
A public defender stepped in and showed more sense, love and care, which actually helps a lot. She laid it all out for him and said she'd back him either way. Craig looked at facts and statistics and took the plea.
He is now in the desert in Utah, doing his time, waiting for his first hearing. All of us who support him have written letters on his behalf to the board. I sent Craig copies of the lie and eye detector tests to be added in his letter to them.
My heart breaks every day for my son. He was doing so good after such a rough life. To survive this, he's the strongest person I know.
By Cyndy Walker
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