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Santos's arrest marked the beginning of a harsh awakening. Faced with a potential life sentence, he initially believed he could manipulate the system. However, the gravity of his situation sank in when he was convicted and sentenced to 45 years. He spent the first year in solitary confinement, where he faced isolation and despair. But this grim period also became the foundation for his transformation.
A seemingly simple act by an officer, who gifted him a book about Frederick Douglass, changed everything for Santos. Inspired by Douglass's journey from slavery to becoming an influential abolitionist, he realized that he could either succumb to his circumstances or choose to rise above them. He began to reevaluate his life choices and developed a strategic plan for his time in prison.