Anthony Ruffin

Anthony Ruffin is a brilliant, kind, loving 28-year-old who grew up in Utica, NY. At the young age of 16, while heeding to the pressure of his peers, and battling with misguided ideas of manhood, Anthony took the life of another young teen in his hometown. Anthony immediately accepted responsibility for his actions, turned himself into authorities, and plead guilty to the reckless act. Anthony has always maintained that he never had any intentions of hurting anybody on that night. The Judge and District Attorney in his case both agreed that much when they conceded in his sentencing that they believed this all to be an accident by teenagers who failed to measure the consequences of dangerous actions. Yet, Anthony was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison. When he becomes eligible for parole, he will have spent more than half of his life behind bars. Anthony is a soft-spoken, respectful, loving young man. While incarcerated, Anthony has attained his high school equivalency diploma, and Associate’s Degree, and is participating in Cornell’s Prison Education Program at Elmira Correctional Facility. Anthony is a mentor to his younger family members, a protector to his dear mother and sister, and has even earned respect from his peers and the staff at Elmira for his extraordinary work ethic, respectful and admirable character, and his determination to becoming a better person every day.