Mom’s selfie helps save her son from 99 years in prison

A young man in Texas faced a nightmare after being accused of a crime he didn’t commit, but a simple selfie taken by his mother turned the tide, proving his innocence and exposing the truth.

On September 22, 2017, Christopher “CJ” Precopia, a 21-year-old working at a lumber yard in Georgetown, Texas, was blindsided when police arrested him at work. Confused and terrified, CJ was told he was being charged with a violent crime—a felony that could send him to prison for up to 99 years.

“I’m just spun around, handcuffs put on,” CJ told ABC News affiliate KVUE. “I had no idea who accused me of this, I had no idea why everything was happening, and I was lost.”

The accusation came from his ex-girlfriend, Faith Cox, who claimed CJ had broken into her Temple, Texas home two days earlier, violently attacked her, and carved an “X” into her chest with a box cutter. Despite having no physical evidence connecting him to the crime, CJ was charged with first-degree felony burglary of a habitation with intent to commit additional felonies.

Living a nightmare

For nine agonizing months, CJ lived in fear of losing his freedom. “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,” CJ said tearfully.

With his parents posting a $150,000 bond for his release, CJ was able to stay out of jail. But proving his innocence seemed like an impossible task—until an unexpected piece of evidence emerged.

The selfie that changed everything

CJ’s mother, Erin, found a crucial piece of evidence in her Facebook feed: a selfie she had taken with CJ and friends at the Renaissance Austin Hotel, 70 miles from the alleged crime scene.

The photo, timestamped 7:02 p.m. on September 20, 2017, showed CJ was nowhere near Faith Cox’s home at the time of the alleged attack, which she claimed happened at 7:20 p.m.

“This is awesome. By the grace of God [ex-girlfriend] said it happened on the day when I can totally, 100 percent, know where he was,” Erin said.

When the evidence was presented, prosecutors dismissed the charges against CJ “in the interest of justice.”

Justice for CJ—and consequences for his accuser

In December 2018, Faith Cox was charged with filing a false police report. The case served as a turning point for CJ, who reflected on how quickly a lie can ruin a life.

“It’s a struggle to go about your daily life knowing that anything could happen, just from somebody saying anything, can just ruin your life in an instant,” CJ said.

Since then, CJ has moved forward, even joining the Navy after graduating from college. But the experience has left him with a deeper awareness of the justice system’s flaws and the importance of evidence like his mom’s selfie.

This case underscores the power of social media and technology in uncovering the truth, but it also raises questions about the justice system’s vulnerability to false accusations. Digital evidence like a timestamped photo saved CJ from an unimaginable fate, but his ordeal highlights the need for thorough investigations before life-altering charges are filed.

What’s your take on this story? Have you ever witnessed a situation where digital evidence played a key role? Share your thoughts and spread CJ’s story to remind others of the importance of truth and fairness.