The day I was arrested on a felony drug charge was, by far, the worst day of my entire life. I should probably make it clear right from the start that I was innocent. I don’t do drugs, I’ve never even smoked weed and I’m pushing thirty.

So you can imagine my surprise when I was pulled over one afternoon and arrested for a felony drug charge. Law enforcement called me Cynthia Rogers, when my name is Gina Swanson, so I thought this would be really easy to clear up. After all, they obviously got the wrong person. If only I knew how bad things could get from there.

Manufacturing and Distribution of Methamphetamines

It turns out that I was arrested on suspicion of producing and selling methamphetamines. You have to understand that this seemed like some kind of joke to me, I mean I’ve never seen meth in my life, except for on TV. I tried explaining all of this to the police, but when they ran my profile and bloodwork, this “Cynthia Rogers” came up.

I felt this overwhelming sense of dread. I knew I wasn’t this Cynthia, but was I going to do at that point? I knew I would have the opportunity to make a phone call so I first called my mother and explained what was going on. I thought she would be able to clear this up no problem by producing my birth certificate or social security number, anything that showed I was Gina.

Instead, she started sobbing and apologizing, but wouldn’t explain why she was sorry. Instead, she contacted a criminal defense lawyer to represent me in court. I explained to my attorney what was going on, and he took me seriously. He hired a private investigator to see what was going on so we could clear my name. The consequences of a felony drug charge can put you in prison for years and I wasn’t going to be convicted of a crime I didn’t commit . . . Or was I?

The Conviction that Almost Ruined My Life

The prosecutor, convinced they had all the evidence they needed, proceeded with the trial. Fortunately, my mother paid my bail so I wouldn’t have to remain behind bars for the duration of the trial. Things were not looking good for me, and even though my attorney believed me, we needed to find this Cynthia Rogers in order to prove to the court that I wasn’t lying about who I was.

At the last minute, just when I was sure I was going to be convicted, the private detective found Cynthia. It turns out that we are identical twins, and share the same DNA. My mother had given Cynthia up for adoption as soon as she was born because she was a single mother at just 18 years old. She was too embarrassed and ashamed to admit what happened.

Once the courts saw that I was who I had always claimed to be, Cynthia was arrested and sentenced to twelve years in prison for her crimes. Without the efforts of my lawyer, I may have lost my freedom. He has long since retired, but he always tells me if I ever share my story, to recommend Chicago Trusted Attorneys in his place, a firm he always held in the highest respect.

My wrongful arrest forever changed my life. I am distrustful and have found that I suffer from a mild case of post-traumatic stress disorder from the whole ordeal. I am very grateful for the freedom I have today, and have a bright future ahead of me, which is more than I can say for Cynthia.