A 36-year-old mother who served 154 days in Marion County jail in 2014 is asking the county to reduce a nearly $15,000 incarceration lien that she amassed after her stay so that she may obtain employment at her church’s school.
Cynturia McClendon Smith will present her request for a release/reduction of her civil restitution lien to the Marion County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, July 15.
Last month, Smith reached out to the county with her request, saying she had been offered the opportunity to be an assistant administrator at her local church’s Christian school and was denied the request after a background screening was denied.
According to Smith, in March 2024, she submitted a letter to the Florida Department of Children and Families to ask for a felony exemption in order to pass a background screening for the position. At the time, the screening was denied and Smith says she reviewed court records to find out that she had an “outstanding housing balance related to” her offense in 2014.
She contacted the jail and was advised that “only Judge Hodges can waive or dismiss the fees attached” to her name. After “several dead-end directions,” Smith says she came to the understanding that the decision to waive the lien rested with the board.
“Over ten years ago, I was a young, irresponsible girl in the car with 4 friends hanging out, having what we thought was fun. A poor decision landed me with this offense and the fees attached have impacted my life greatly. Not only do I live day to day with this, but it has now become the deciding factor when it comes to how far I can go in life,” reads a statement written by Smith to the county. “I am a law-abiding citizen, a community leader, a responsible wife.”
Smith, who is now married and has two young boys, says she understands that there are consequences to her actions.
“I served six months in Marion County Jail. I was a trustee and I also attended and completed the WEST Program while incarcerated,” reads Smith’s letter. She says she has not had any encounters with law enforcement since her incarceration.
“My actions have not only affected me, but also my kids. It saddens me, for I feel I am not the best version of myself as a mom for them,” reads Smith’s statement. She closes the letter by stating that she has been offered employment at her local church’s school and that she would “love the opportunity” to support the ministry in which she is “very much involved.”
“The fees are just too much for me to bear. With your help, I will be able to accept the position, for I am limited to what I can do when I know I have been called to do and to be more,” according to Smith. “I am asking if you would consider the changes I have made and help me to pursue a more prosperous future.”
Smith was arrested in March 2014 for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis, and possession of cocaine. She was found guilty of all charges and was sentenced to 180 days in jail in May 2014. Smith served approximately 154 days of her sentence before she was released.
Despite only serving 154 days of the sentence, court records show that Marion County Courts charged her for all 180 days, equating to approximately $9,000.
During Smith’s incarceration, she was an inmate worker for 108 days.
In similar cases in the past, the board has had a general policy of forgiving any accumulated interest from civil restitution liens and crediting the individual with all the days served as an inmate worker.
If that holds true and the board forgives the interest that has accumulated ($5,786.27), and credits her for her time as an inmate worker (i.e., 108 days x $50/day = $5,400), Smith will likely still be responsible to pay back $3,600.
Over the past year, at least three other individuals have made similar requests to the county:
- In June, the board reduced a $7,700 lien to $800 for a man who was an inmate at the Marion County Jail for 90 days in 2012 for driving with a suspended license.
- In February, a Marion mother who asked county officials to reduce her $7,195 civil restitution lien so that she can build a harvest market, was told she will still owe $650 for the 13 days ($50 per day) that she was not an inmate worker during her 75-day stint at the Marion County Jail in 2014.
- Last August, a stay-at-home mother and widow, whose sole source of income is monthly Social Security payments, agreed to pay $25 a month towards a $2,800 civil restitution lien that commissioners reduced from $20,000. In that case, the mother, Susan Baccili, had worked 199 days of the 255 days that she was incarcerated.
The Marion County Board of County Commissioners next meets on Tuesday, July 15, at 9 a.m. at the McPherson Governmental Complex in Ocala.