December 31st 2023.
Patricia Baronowski-Schneider had a dream to expand her business internationally. Little did she know, this opportunity would lead to four years of her life in a Peruvian prison.
The 54-year-old grandmother from Long Island, New York, was duped into accepting a ‘business opportunity’ that involved delivering a suitcase to a man in Hong Kong. It was only when airport staff opened the bag that she realised that it was laced with cocaine.
At the time, Patricia was suffering from a severe brain injury, which left her vulnerable to scams. Her lack of awareness led to her being sentenced to more than six years in prison, of which she served four.
During this period, Patricia was exposed to some of the worst prison conditions imaginable. She was put in ‘brutal’ prisons in Peru, where she shared a room and a ‘hole in the ground’ for a toilet with up to 22 other people. She described the prisons as ‘horrible’ with ‘rat and cockroach infested’ showers. This was only made worse by her inability to speak the language, which made her feel so isolated and lonely.
Patricia eventually landed in Peru for what she thought would be an IMF event for like-minded business owners, only to find that this was all a scam set up by a drug trafficking ring. She was swarmed by police and her luggage was searched, revealing the cocaine laced inside.
Despite showing evidence that she was part of a scam, Patricia was put in prison for a year and then under house arrest for 13 months until her court date in 2018. She was eventually sentenced to six years and 10 months.
Patricia spent the next four years in prisons in Callao, Ancón and Lima, during which she contemplated suicide due to the loneliness she felt. Fortunately, she was granted early release in January 2021 due to her good behaviour.
Her freedom allowed her to reunite with her family, which she described as the ‘best feeling’. She is now looking forward, immersing herself in her family and never looking back.
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