How A Selfie Saved Innocent Man From 99-Year Prison Sentence

A man narrowly escaped the possibility of spending 99 years in prison thanks to a simple selfie he had taken while enjoying time with his family.

The troubling situation for Christopher Precopia started when his ex-girlfriend accused him of breaking into her home and viciously attacking her.

Precopia and his ex-girlfriend had ended their relationship several years before, and he mentioned that he could not recall the last time they had been in contact.

However, on the evening of September 22, 2017, Precopia was arrested and found himself potentially facing a 99-year prison sentence.

The ex-girlfriend, who has not been named, reported that she suffered injuries from the assault, specifically mentioning an 'X' that had been cut into her chest with a box cutter.

According to a report by USA Today, Precopia was bewildered about his arrest, stating he "had no idea why everything was happening" when he was taken to the Williamson County Jail.

Luckily, his parents managed to pay his $150,000 bond and began to actively work on proving his innocence.

On the alleged night of the attack, Precopia was actually with his mother, Erin, at a hotel located in Northwest Austin, Texas.

Christopher was accused of attacking his former girlfiend. Temple Police Department

This hotel, reportedly 65 miles away from where the accuser lived, provided a solid alibi for Precopia, who was confused about the allegations against him.

Erin Precopia expressed her relief to USA Today, saying, "This is awesome. By the grace of God she said it happened on the day when I can totally, 100 percent, know where he was."

She recalled posting a group selfie on social media at the exact time of the supposed attack, which was both geotagged and timestamped.

The photo clearly displayed Precopia on the left foreground of the image, with another couple visible in the background.

Erin also mentioned, "Thankfully, I log on to Facebook all the time and I check in when I go to different places."

The selfie that saved Christopher from a 99-year prison sentence. Facebook / Erin Prinkston Precopia

After spending thousands of dollars and attending numerous meetings with their lawyer, the Precopia family presented their clear evidence to the prosecutor in Bell County.

Nine months after his initial arrest, the charges against him were dismissed 'in the interest of justice', and he was released from custody.

Additional sworn affidavits from friends and family who were with Precopia at the time also supported his defense along with the crucial group selfie.

Precopia's lawyer, Rick Flores, commented to USA Today, "It's not normally black and white. But this is one of the cases I could definitely prove he did not commit this offense."

So, why was someone clearly innocent, arrested and charged?

The alleged victim had described their past relationship as 'troubled' during their high school years, which could have suggested a motive for Precopia's supposed actions.

District Attorney Henry Garza explained to USA Today, "We are always willing to listen and examine new information, and that's exactly what we did in this case."

The family ended up paying more than $340,000 in legal expenses, and the ordeal prevented Precopia from applying to the US Army.

Precopia has since declared to USA Today: "I'm ready to actually live my life, the way I want to, without having any kind of worry that this can come back and hurt me."