Life After Drinking Myself Into Kidney Failure and the Murder-for-Hire Scheme That Landed Me in Federal Prison

David became a father at 18, finished college while working full-time, entered Nissan's executive training program, and then built a successful marketing agency serving plastic surgeons.As his success grew, so did a hard-partying lifestyle driven by cocaine and alcohol addiction, and he drifted from his faith. After suffering a severe stroke and grand mal seizure in 2015, he was put in a medically induced coma and told he likely would not survive.Experiencing a decisive spiritual turning point on the dialysis chair in January of 2017, he describes hearing an inner voice from God saying "get right with me or else" and instantly recommitted his life to Christ.But months later, his home and office were raided and he was arrested on a federal murder-for-hire charge connected to a former business partner.Believing he'd be exonerated, he rejected a plea deal and went to trial but was convicted and received a 7.5-year sentence, serving most of it at FMC Devens where he battled serious health issues and nearly died several times.With no choice but to pick himself up, he began to study federal law, and worked to get 6 other inmates released in just nine months.In December 2020, he was granted compassionate release. He resumed dialysis, was fast-tracked for transplant, and received a kidney in 2021, significantly improving his health.Since prison, he founded the Brand 316 prison ministry, turned his reentry workbook into a formal curriculum, moved his family to Wichita, launched multi-racial prison Bible studies, opened a sober faith-based reentry home centered on sobriety, and now mentors formerly incarcerated men who are starting their own housing and ministry programs.DAVID PHILLIPS is the founder of Brand 316, a ministry helping people rebuild their lives after prison. The son of World Impact founder Dr. Keith Phillips, he grew up a missionary kid in the inner city and later became CEO of a digital marketing firm in Los Angeles. After serving nearly four years in federal prison, he now uses his experience to support returning citizens and fight recidivism through Christ‑centered reentry support.Learn more about Brand 316Get David’s book, The Reintegration Roadmap: A Comprehensive Reentry WorkbookConnect with David Phillips on LinkedInFollow David on Instagram @dphillips_112Matt Handy is the founder of Harmony Grove Behavioral Health in Houston, Texas, where their mission is to provide compassionate, evidence-based care for anyone facing addiction, mental health challenges, and co-occurring disorders.My Last Relapse explores what everyone is thinking but no one is saying about addiction recovery through conversations with those whose lives have changed.For anyone disillusioned with traditional recovery and feeling left out, misunderstood, or weighed down by unrealistic expectations, this podcast looks ahead—rejecting the lies and dogma that keep people from imagining life without using.Got a question for us? Leave us a message or voicemail at mylastrelapse.comFollow Matt on Instagram @matthew.handy.17About Harmony Grove Behavioral HealthHarmony Grove delivers outpatient addiction and mental health treatment focused on wellness, creativity, and authentic human connection—providing a supportive space for healing that extends beyond traditional clinical care. Find out more at http://harmonygrovebh.com/Harmony Grove’s IOP in Houston, Texas, is more than a program; it’s a lifeline for those ready to take the next step in their addiction recovery. We are ready to meet you where you are and find your unique path to change.If you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling, you don’t have to face it alone. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength, and help is always available. If you or anyone you know needs help, give us a call 24 hours a day at 844-430-3060.Questions this episode answers:How does a successful businessman with no criminal history end up facing federal murder-for-hire charges?What really happens when federal investigators fixate on the wrong person — and how does the system railroad an innocent man?What is it actually like to be on dialysis while incarcerated, and how badly does the federal prison system fail sick inmates?How do drugs and cell phones flow into federal prison — and who is really bringing them in?What was the moment in a dialysis chair that changed David's relationship with God forever?How does a collapsed lung, a kidney transplant, and a federal conviction become the foundation for a ministry?What does national recidivism data actually say — and what single factor drops that 68% rate down to 9%?How do you write a reentry curriculum from inside a prison cell and get it onto the tablet of every inmate in a state?Why do more drugs flow through prison during COVID lockdowns than before them?How can a formerly incarcerated felon with no funding build a self-sustaining prison ministry from scratch?Host: Matthew HandyProducer: Eva SheieAssistant Producers: Mary Ellen Clarkson & Hannah BurkhartEngineering: Chris MannTheme music: Survive The Tide, Machina AeonCover Art:  DMARKMy Last Relapse is a production of Kind Creative: kindcreative.com