In the heart of Texas, during high school, Bevill was a standout athlete, consistently earning a spot among the top three offensive baseball players in North Texas.
Following high school, Bevill's trajectory changed dramatically. He succumbed to the allure of binge drinking, which led to alcohol-fueled nights, wild cocaine and pill binges, and subsequent arrests. These choices derailed his college baseball aspirations, culminating in his leaving college at the age of 20.
Bevill's lifestyle was wild and extreme.
Bevill's next chapter unfolded in Dallas, where he joined a boutique oil and gas brokerage owned by a man named Big Jack, who became his mentor.
There, he was thrust into a world of opulence and opportunity. The brokers, who were making millions, exposed Bevill to a lifestyle he had never envisioned. (Bevill comes from a humble background.)
Initially, as he was trying to establish himself as one of Jack's brokers, Bevill was homeless, sleeping either in the office or in the parking lot while working 15-hour days.
Bevill quickly excelled.
He found himself in private suites at horse races, mingling with jockeys and enjoying exclusive access at Mavericks and Cowboys games. The experience was intoxicating for a young man who was unfamiliar with such extravagance. “One minute, I was in a small country town, failing out of college," Bevill said. "The next, I was on a private jet headed to the Bellagio in Vegas. I was blinded by it all and got sucked into that life.”
A Forbes article vividly captured this environment, highlighting Jack, who embodied the high-flying lifestyle. Jack was a regular at the racetrack, known for his distinctive aviator sunglasses and black cowboy hat, often arriving in a convertible Rolls-Royce Corniche, the article said. His presence at Lone Star Park was marked by a $30,000-a-year suite from which he observed the races, rubbing elbows with sports commentators and fellow enthusiasts, the article continued. Jack's bold bets and deep knowledge of horse pedigrees further painted a picture of a world driven by wealth and risk.
One of his horses, Ticker Tape, even won millions by taking the prestigious Breeders' Cup.
Forbes reported that from 2003 to 2005, Jack dropped a whopping $23 million just at the Lone Star racetrack.
For the 20-year-old Bevill, this new lifestyle was irresistible. He was drawn to the fast pace and the promise of success. By 25, he ventured out on his own, launching an oil and gas fundraising company. His lifestyle became even more extreme. And the pursuit of wealth led him down a perilous path. He began with small misrepresentations to wealthy investors, then moved on to keeping undisclosed fees. He focused on wealthy investors who wanted to gamble on oil drilling.
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Bevill's life spiraled into one of superficiality and moral compromise.
At 30, Bevill was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for securities fraud. His first seven or so years in prison were marked by profound pain, loss, and a state of acute hopelessness and regret.
Sent to the notoriously violent maximum-security penitentiary known as "Bloody Beaumont," Bevill walked into a different world. He suffered the sudden loss of both relatively young parents and other loved ones, compounding his sense of despair.
He withdrew from the free world and isolated himself, struggling with extreme fatigue and a crushed spirit, clinging to substances to escape the grim reality of his new life. Clinically depressed, he became a shell of his former self.
However, Bevill found an unexpected source of hope. Immersing himself in the law, he spent countless hours in the prison's law library, becoming an avid reader and student of federal sentencing law. He consumed a wide array of scholarly articles and books, from works by Professor Mark Osler on contemporary criminal law to Professor Douglas Berman's writings on sentencing law and policy. This academic pursuit became a lifeline, offering him purpose and a way to contribute meaningfully even behind bars.
He began helping fellow inmates with various filings, putting his knowledge to work and honing his craft as a writer and storyteller.
Bevill's life took a pivotal turn when he was placed in solitary confinement for using synthetic opioids, the only reason he continued to get out of bed. It was here, through the radio sermons of Tony Evans and Chuck Swindoll, that he encountered the transformative power of faith.
The teachings resonated with him deeply, sparking a profound spiritual awakening. Bevill devoured the Word, dedicating daily time to prayer, Bible study, and exploring biblical teachings through scholarly articles.
This newfound faith brought about a remarkable change. Almost immediately, his depression lifted, and his addiction subsided, replaced by a sense of contentment and joy. Bevill's outlook on life shifted dramatically; he no longer dreaded each day but instead embraced it with enthusiasm and gratitude.
"God's Word completely changed me," he emphasized. "It was like being connected to a powerful source that made me whole." This transformative experience led him to found The Justice Project. "Doors began opening, one after another," he added. “I love my life.”
With a strong foundation in both spiritual conviction and legal knowledge, Joshua is dedicated to helping deserving prisoners, seeing this work as a direct manifestation of his faith's teachings on compassion and justice. His initiatives have attracted support from a committed team, and together they have successfully shortened the sentences of numerous prisoners.
After Bevill's release, he plans to devote his life to helping prisoners through The Justice Project. Bevill is now forty-five years old. He's spent 15 years in federal prison.