In a story that highlights the power of evidence against a lie, a mother's family selfie saved her son from a potential lifetime behind bars.
In September 2017, Christopher Precopia's life took a devastating turn when he was arrested on charges of breaking into his ex-girlfriend's home and viciously assaulting her with a box cutter.
As reported by ABC affiliate KVUE, Precopia's ex-girlfriend told police that he had forced his way into her home and assaulted her — even claiming that he had used a box cutter to carve an “X” just below her neck.
These accusations, if proven true, could have irreparably altered the course of his life, as the then-21-year-old faced a potential 99-year prison sentence if found guilty.
Somewhat more unsettling was the lack of details the young Texan man was apparently given by officers when he was arrested.
Per the Washington Post, statements from defense attorney Rick Flores claimed that when questioning the reason for his arrest, Precopia was told: "Don’t act like you don’t know."
Moreover, when informed of a warrant for his arrest in Bell County, Precopia's bewilderment was evident, as he told officers: "Where is Bell County?"
After finally learning the severity of the allegations made against him, Precopia steadfastly maintained his innocence.
The turning point in Precopia's case came when his mother, Erin, stumbled upon a crucial piece of evidence: a selfie taken during a family gathering at the Renaissance Austin Hotel - located nearly 70 miles away from the alleged crime scene.
This seemingly innocuous photo - time-stamped and geolocated - served as an irrefutable alibi, placing Precopia in a completely different location at the time that the purported assault was supposed to have taken place.
Per USA Today, mom Erin said: "This is awesome. By the grace of God she said it happened on the day when I can totally, 100 percent, where he was."
If his ex-girlfriend had claimed the attack took place on any other day, the family would have struggled to prove Precopia's innocence.
According to defense attorney Flores, the timing of the alleged incident and the existence of the selfie provided a clear and compelling defense for Precopia. Furthermore, cell tower data corroborated his whereabouts.
"It's not normally black and white. But this is one of the cases I could definitely prove he did not commit this offense," Flores said.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Precopia shared his profound relief at being exonerated, expressing gratitude for the unwavering support of his family throughout the tumultuous legal battle. "I had no idea who accused me of this; I had no idea why everything was happening," Precopia recounted. "I was constantly fearful as to what could happen the next day... I was going to sleep hoping I wouldn’t wake up, just to get away from it."
For mom Erin, the discovery of the selfie provided a glimmer of hope during a dark time for her family. "Thankfully, I do log on Facebook all the time, and I check in when I go places," she remarked.
The charges against Precopia were dropped in June 2018 after Flores presented the evidence to the Bell County District Attorney's Office, marking the end of a nine-month ordeal that had left the Precopia family reeling.
While the legal battle may have concluded, the emotional toll on Precopia and his loved ones is immeasurable. The family racked up more than $340,000 in legal fees and Precopia was rejected from the Army as a result of the charges.
Despite the trauma of his wrongful arrest and the arduous legal battle that followed, Precopia remained resolute in his determination to reclaim his life and move forward.
He told USA Today: "I'm ready to actually live my life, the way I want to, without having any kind of worry that this can come back and hurt me."
