To: Bay County Court
To: Bay County Parole Department / Officer, Michigan Department of Corrections Board of Parole
My name is Tracy Daniels, and I am writing to you as the mother of Deonte Rogers, who has been under the control of the penal system in Bay City, Michigan for over 17 years. This letter comes from a place of deep love, pain, and unshakable hope—for a son who has endured, changed, and grown into someone who deserves the chance to live fully and freely.
Deonte entered the system at just 17 years old, still a child in so many ways. Today he is 34. For nearly two decades, he has lived under restrictions meant to punish, reform, and monitor—but not always to heal or restore. Through it all, Deonte has remained strong, reflective, and sincere in his effort to become a better man. He has taken responsibility for his past, but he should not be endlessly chained to it.
The Bay County Parole Department must come to terms with a difficult truth: for years, it has approached Deonte not as someone to be helped, but as someone to be tamed. That mindset has caused more harm than good. My son is not a threat. He is not wild, dangerous, or unpredictable. He is a man who would not harm a fly, who poses no risk to any community, and who only wants the chance to rebuild his life in peace.
Parole was meant to be a path to reentry, not a lifelong leash. At this point, it serves no meaningful purpose but to prolong suffering and delay true rehabilitation. The constraints of parole are keeping him in a state of limbo, unable to fully rejoin the world and live without fear or judgment.
I respectfully ask the Bay County Court and the Bay County Parole Officer overseeing his case to look at the man Deonte Rogers is now—not just who he was in his past. See his growth. See his spirit. See his humanity. And most importantly, release him from parole so that he may live the life every person deserves—a life of dignity, freedom, and purpose.
He has done the work. He has served his time. Now, please give him his future.
With sincerity and hope,
Tracy Daniels, LCSW, LMSW
7654 Green Glade Way
Stonecrest, GA 30038
