Editor’s Note: Frank Report intends to investigate what really happened to John Tighe who currently is in Fort Devens federal prison serving his sentence for having been convicted of possessing child pornography on a computer.
The circumstances of his conviction are so suspicious that they merit more than a journalist’s investigation. But it is unlikely that we’ll ever see a full-throttle law enforcement investigation to determine if the child porn images were planted by Keith Raniere or one of his agents and/or if certain New York State law enforcement officials were bribed into conspiring in a scheme to plant the child porn and then “find” it on a computer which was in NYS Police custody for several months before the child porn was suddenly “found.”
There is no doubt that Tighe was one of the main enemies of Raniere, who, as we know, used legal and extralegal methods to silence and stop his enemies. We will have much more to say on this topic later – including evidence that the Mac computer where the child “porn” was found may not have been Tighe’s computer. These investigations take time and money. But we are working on it – and the results may startle you.
Meanwhile, Tighe is in prison, now for more than 4 years – with one more year to serve. The man who likely put him there, Keith Raniere, is now also [and justly] convicted. He will in prison for years to come, quite possibly for life.
In a remarkable letter from Fort Devens Federal Prison, Tighe offers advice to Raniere – not out of cruelty, not out of anger, but rather to offer him some practical advice. How to survive in federal prison.
And with an extra, special message. If Keith Raniere wants to confess who he bribed and how he arranged to commit various crimes – including how he had child porn planted on Tighe’s so-called “computer” – without getting prosecuted, he might wind up in a safer prison. Hopefully, Raniere will follow John’s advice – and tell federal investigators how he managed to escape prosecution for almost two decades – and who he harmed along the way. Not because it’s the ethical thing to do. But because it serves Raniere’s interest.
There is so much more to tell on John Tighe. For the present, let’s hear his voice from prison in his letter to Keith Alan Raniere.
*****
By John Tighe
Federal Prisoner 21508-052
Well, Keith, this is for you.
I know some of your acolytes read Frank Report, so maybe they’ll pass this along to you.
Keith, I sincerely don’t want you to die anytime soon.
I’m not a cruel person.
Heed my advice – and you might survive and have some kind of life while you’re incarcerated.
Next month, I will have been down for four years.
It hasn’t been fun – but I’ve done alright and I’ve learned a few things.
Let me share some of what I’ve learned with you.
*****
Give up your delusions of getting out.
You’re home.
Get used to it and build a life.
*****
The bullshit stops today, Keith.
Inmates may not be educated in the classic sense but they can smell bullshit a mile away.
Never be condescending, Keith.
Now, you’re the “slave” – the piece of shit.
So, just shut the fuck up. Stop talking – and learn to listen. No one gives a shit about your crap.
Mind your own fucking business. Don’t “ear hustle”. Never Rat out anyone – not even if you have to take the blame for something you didn’t do.
The less you know the less you can be accused of telling.
*****
Prison is expensive Keith.
Try to have money in your commissary account at all times.
You’ll need money for clothes, sweats, shorts, dishes, and food.
And you’ll need money for the email service and telephone calls – both of which are way overpriced.
*****
Get as many people as possible on your visitor’s list.
Visits are a highlight, Keith.
Many inmates here haven’t had one in twenty years.
Have your visitors bring money. The only change in your diet is the food in the visiting room vending machines – and it’s expensive.
*****
Stay away from drugs, cell phones, porn, and contraband. Unless you want to spend a year in the SHU.
And never “check in” – ask for protective custody – no matter how afraid you are.
It’s the same as the SHU, Keith – and those bad-asses will be there waiting for you when you get out.
*****
Do something useful.
After A/O, tell your counselor about your degree – and try to get a job as a GED Math teacher at 27 cents an hour.
That’s about what you paid the nannies in Rainbow Cultural Gardens.
Kind of Ironic, don’t you think?
*****
Join a religion.
The Catholics, Christians or Moslems will take you in (The Moslems have a whole social structure and might offer you some protection).
But stay away from the Asante. They are the religion of the Neo-Nazis and worship the Norse god Odin. They will kill you, Keith – speaking of which, you probably ought to avoid the Spanish (Hispanic) prisoners too.
*****
Shave your head. I’m not kidding.
You’re going to be in long enough that you need to look like a convict – and not just an inmate.
And work out every chance you get – you’re probably going to need to defend yourself on a regular basis.
*****
Become a legal eagle, a jailhouse lawyer.
You can file motion after motion for yourself and others.
They have a Legal Library in every prison, Keith. Learn how to use it.
*****
That brings me to the yard (Here we call it “Peckerhead Beach”).
This is the outdoor rec area. Much different than MDC where all you probably had is an indoor walking track.
You’ll learn to love outdoor rec, Keith – but you’ll also learn to fear it. Because this is where you’ll be most vulnerable.
Look out for two types of attacks.
First, a straight-up fight. Happens all the time over anything. Man up, fight back and get some respect.
Next, watch out for a “hit”. They’ll come from behind or straight up front – and it will happen very fast. A small knife or shank or shive will be repeatedly jammed under your rib cage and they’ll twist and turn it at the same time – they call this “working it” – for maximum organ damage and blood loss (If this happens to you, you’ll be dead).
This is better than a slock against the head – which can leave you brain damaged.
We have a lot of those guys here.
*****
Right now, you still have some hope, Keith.
After being found guilty but before sentencing, an inmate can give information to the authorities that can reduce his sentence or get him into a better prison
Keith, if you get sent to a USP like Whitey Bulger was, they will kill you. They don’t call them “Bloody Beaumont”, “Misery Mountain” and Fort “Death” for nothing.
You have valuable information, Keith.
Who did you bribe and blackmail?
What District Attorneys, State Troopers and politicians did you have in your pocket?
How did you do it, Keith? Money or sex or both?
You have information that people want, Keith.
Taking it with you to prison makes no sense.
*****
With the right deal, you could go to a nice Medium like Ray Brook in the Adirondack Gulag.
Or maybe Berlin in New Hampshire in the White Mountains.
As far as prisons go, those are great options.
You might even have a little life for yourself close to home.
*****
You owe the Bronfmans nothing, Keith. Sara abandoned you and Clare threw you under the bus.
Talk, Keith.
Who did the Bronfmans bribe?
What happened to me, Keith? And how did you finally get O’Hara?
Forget about telling the truth because it’s the decent thing to do. Just do it because it will help you.
Think about it, Keith.
I know you’ve got a lot to get off your chest.
You’ll feel better.