Mark Lemerond is a dedicated advocate for change and humanity. He lingers at the LBCC campus, at every club from Human Services, to the Red Cross, and the Justice Scholars, because in his words, “I just want to be at the right place at the right time.”
Lemerond is currently a club senate representative for the Justice Scholars Club and Program at LBCC, a group that is “a perfect fit,” he said, for his past and future life.
The club advocates for social justice, resources, and change for those students previously incarcerated and now looking to better themselves through higher education. Lemerond is one such student.
At the age of 47, Lemerond was convicted on counts stemming from two bank robberies in Florida, and was placed in prison for 60 months.
After spending time at Federal Correctional Institution Marianna in Florida, a hurricane forced Lemerond and 2200 other inmates to transfer to several prisons around the U.S.. Lemerond was transferred to FCI Williamsburg in South Carolina to serve out his sentence.
Now, at age 62, ten years after leaving prison, the formerly incarcerated student recounted his life, from his current goals to growing up in California during an interview on Feb. 20.
Lemerond was born on January 30, 1958, in Omaha, Nebraska.
“It was just me and my mom growing up, moving around by ourselves. We moved to Torrance and from there bounced around until we made it to Paramount. That’s where I graduated from Millikan High in 1975,” he said.
Just one year after graduating high school, Lemerond joined the Marines from 1976-1980, working as a 0331 machine gunner while stationed in Hawaii. “I know everything there is to know about the m-16,” he said.
“I served three west pac tours, went to all different countries, and got drunk in every one of them,” Lemerond said. Lemerond would end up “missing movement,” or accidentally staying behind in the Philippines, while his comrades moved forward in their tour.
He does not feel ashamed to share his struggles with drugs and alcohol, the details of his arrest, or share how the Marines were the first to give Lemerond reprimands, but also resources and help.
In his eyes, “I joined when I was a kid. It was the wrong time for me, man. I wish I would’ve taken it more seriously.”
Lemerond said, “I went for treatment on June 17, 1978. I still remember the day exactly, when I discovered I was an alcoholic, and I did treatment for eight weeks, went to Hong Kong, and started drinking again.”
Eventually, the drug and alcohol abuse caught up to him, resulting in discharge from the Marines after Lemerond, who was his unit commander’s Jeep driver, was “caught with dope [Marijuana] in my pocket.”
After leaving the Marines, Lemerond would swing between periods of sobriety and using drugs, staying sober for five years at a time, then falling back to periods of using.
At 25, Lemerond’s AA sponsor convinced him to leave California and move to Pensacola, FL. to raise his five children alongside his wife.
Lemerond reached his lowest point when sixteen years ago, he was arrested on charges related to two bank robberies he committed at both Bank of America and the Central Credit Union in Florida in order to fuel his “thousand-dollar-a-day coke habit.”
“It was insanity. It was caused by my addiction. I could’ve got people killed, because I said I was armed and the FBI treated the robbery like it was, but I wasn’t. The hardest part was the teller. She was my daughter’s age, and her face went white. That’s what I have to live with,” said Lemerond, recalling the day he was arrested.
In March 2004, Lemerond was caught by the FBI, “…up the street from the Central Credit Union. I told them about the first robbery at Bank of America, and they asked me why I would even mention a robbery that I got away with,” Lemerond said.
To Lemerond, the bank robberies were a sign that the “feel-good disease” of addiction had taken over. When caught, this is the reason he gave to FBI agents, telling them, “I need help. I’m a drug addict. I didn’t just wake up one day and say, ‘I’m gonna go rob a bank.’”
The veteran’s addiction had gone untreated, and he told FBI agents, “I either want to die or get help. I knew help was going to be in prison, and I wanted to be the guy I was when I was sober, taking care of my kids and with my wife.”
After serving a five year sentence, Lemerond realized that there was more to life than drugs, negativity, and pain. He used his time in prison to become sober, earn his high school diploma, set up AA meetings and work with other prisoners in education.
“I was a model prisoner. Since getting out I haven’t even had a parking ticket. You know, people can look at me and think whatever they want. But, it’s not true. I’ve walked that mile, and that’s my own history,” said the reformed student.
Lemerond is now working on a degree in academic or drug counseling, after being inspired by an ex-fiance who encouraged him to attend school again and find his route to recovery. His children, who had witnessed him come out on the news after the robbery, also supported his move to California after prison.
Upon attending LBCC, Lemerond walked into a lecture by Dr. Annahita Mahdavi, Justice Scholars Club advisor, and said confidently, “I want to be here. This is what I’m about.”
Mahdavi said of Lemerond, “He became active in the club two semesters ago, and his heart is in the program. From the beginning, he started taking charge.”
The sea lover lived for seven years on a sailboat in the Leeward Bay Marina on Henry Ford Avenue in Wilmington, Calif. He now is living with his mother, who, though terminally ill, is still offering inspiration and letting Lemerond, “celebrate her life.”
Lemerond looked to his mother during those times where he believed change was the only solution. “My mom was a cashier for 20 years at a grocery chain, call it Ralphs, and at age 45 decided she wanted to be a nurse. So she went here, to LBCC, got her license, and retired at 60 from Harbor General. She just amazes me.”
He also looks to his own children for inspiration. His three sons are civilians, and his two daughters are decorated Marines.
His daughter, Jessika, worked at the Judge Advocate General office, or JAG, and is an E-8, Master Gunnery Sergeant in the Marines. His other daughter, Tiffanie, is stationed in San Antonio, and works for the Department of Defense.
Both hold a great relationship with their father, and in Lemerond’s words, “my daughters made up for me. They’re everything I ever thought I would be in the Marines and more.”
Lemerond, aside from fishing, writing letters, and looking to better himself and others, also worked as a truck driver for 30 years, and is currently recovering after a knee injury.
“I’ve been to every state except Alaska, and I’ve hauled everything except cows and cars,” he said.
Corbin Gerard, student advisor for the Justice Scholars Program, and friend of Lemerond spoke highly of him.
“Mark is diligent, dedicated, always eager to help and assist with various groups and even his friends.” Gerard said.
When asked to do something, whether it’s personal or for school, Gerard said Lemerond simply answers, “Sure, I’m in.”
The reformed, formerly incarcerated bank robber now lives his life with the belief that.
“Every single person I meet, God has everything to do with it. Recovery is one of those things that I’m so supportive of. That’s why I want to work with people as either a drug or recovery counselor. Now, I can be what’s right with the world instead of what’s wrong with it.” Lemerond said.
Lemerond has met with veteran representatives at LBCC to take advantage of loopholes and other methods to expunge his record and change his discharge status from the Marines, in the hopes it will make finding a counseling job later on easier.
In the meantime, he wants to let others know that it takes, “…being in the right place, at the right time, and with the right people that give you tough love,” in order to continue to recover after leaving prison.
“The Veterans here on campus make me feel like I never left the Marines. The Justice Scholars taught me to accept myself, and not be ashamed of my story. They remind me that I’m good, and you know, something I’ve learned, is that you can change as much as you want. You know why? Because change is from beginning to end.”