Why did actor Danny Trejo go to prison?

ACTOR Danny Trejo has over 300 film and television credits to his name.

Before he was known for his roles in movies like Machete and Spy Kids , the actor had a few stints in prison .

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Why did actor Danny Trejo go to prison?

Before his successful acting career, Danny Trejo wound up in the United States prison system.

In his memoir , Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood, the actor recalls his former life of crime .

The crimes he committed ranged from drug dealing to armed robbery.

In the late sixties, he was serving time after he tried to sell heroin to an undercover cop, according to the New York Post .

Trejo, who struggled with drug addiction at the time, was released from prison in 1969 after serving five years of a ten-year sentence.

He joined a 12-step sobriety program after being involved in a prison riot and spending time in solitary confinement.

Trejo told Shondaland , “In 1968, Cinco de Mayo, I was involved in a prison riot, and I almost went to the gas chamber.

“I just knew that I was either gonna die in prison or I was gonna take drugs and alcohol all of my life.

“I don’t think I’ve ever committed a crime that wasn’t drug and alcohol-related.

“So, I kind of just made a promise. I said, “Hey, Lord. If you let me die with dignity, I’ll say your name every day. And I’ll do whatever I can for my fellow inmates.”

What did Danny Trejo say about his time in prison?

Throughout the years, Danny Trejo has been honest and open about his past crimes and the time he’s spent behind bars.

When a parole board asked how he went a year in prison without any incident, Trejo credited joining the 12-step program for changing his life.

In July 1969, the parole board told Trejo that he would be released soon but that this next prison sentence would be “a life sentence.”

He told Shondaland, “They knew when I came back, I’d be bringing a life sentence. I made that deal.

“And it wasn’t the kind of deal that you make when you’re in high school. ‘Let me pass this test,’ or ‘Dear God, don’t let me get in trouble for not coming home by curfew.’

“It was “Let me die with dignity.”

After his prison release, he returned to his childhood neighborhood in Los Angeles and turned his life around.

According to CSUN , he felt a sense of pride after helping an elderly lady throw her trash out and wanted to keep helping people.

He told the outlet, “Everything good that has happened to me has been a direct result of helping someone else.

“My whole life is dedicated to helping other people. That’s how I get through the day.”

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Where is Danny Trejo now?

Danny Trejo has continued acting and making sporadic television appearances, while still making time to keep helping others.

Since his release from prison in 1969, Trejo has worked with Western Pacific Med Corp in helping detoxify people addicted to heroin.

In 2021, he competed in the fifth season of Masked Singer as Raccoon .

The following year, he acted in the Disney + series The Book of Boba Fett , which is part of the Star Wars cinematic universe.

On the Fourth of July , 2024, Trejo was involved in an altercation that broke out at the Sunland-Tujunga Independence Day Parade, which he was participating in.

The incident reportedly began when someone threw a water balloon at the vintage convertible that the 80-year-old actor was in.

Videos posted on social media show Trejo confronting a man, presumably the person he thought threw the water balloon.

That footage appears to show Trejo being hit with another water balloon before he throws a punch at the man.

Trejo was eventually knocked down before he was seen throwing a folding chair, according to Fox 11 .

The outlet also reports that Trejo decided to not file any charges.