Sharon Vandrish

A Canadian snowbird trapped in the US legal system

I am a 61-year-old Canadian retired woman who was recently sentenced in Pennsylvania court to three consecutive sentences totaling 16 to 40. I have never been convicted of a criminal offense. The offenses for which I have been convicted are misdemeanors, not felonies.

In the situation that led to these convictions, not a person was injured, no one’s property was damaged, not a thing was stolen or taken, except my freedom.

Please take a moment to read my story. What happened to me, in a theoretically free country like the United States, should happen to no one.

Presently, I am in the McKean county jail in northern Pennsylvania, awaiting assignment to a state prison. To put things in perspective, the incarceration rate in the USA is over 541 persons per 100,000. In Canada, it is 90, less than one-fifth of the rate in the USA. The True North Strong and Free is more than a line in the National Anthem of Canada – it is a motto to live by, especially the part about being Free.

I have already spent over 180 days in jail – none of those days counted toward my sentence.

These are the facts. In March 2024, my 87-year-old father died. We were very close. I took his death very hard. I had already lost my twenty-three-year-old son in September 2017, due to a drug overdose. Any parent who has lost a child knows the pain about which I speak. My father had been a great source of strength for me, during that difficult period of my son’s death and in the following years.

Partly to grieve my father’s death, I retreated to the family cabin in Northern Pennsylvania, which my father had built himself. It was a safe place in my memories - where we had enjoyed many happy times, exploring the woods surrounding the property. My father had taught me how to shoot a rifle and to treat a weapon with great respect, with safety in mind.

In May 2024, as a result of a complaint laid by a Canadian relative, hiding behind a badge, the police came to my door under the guise of what was called a Wellness Check. There were no prior local incidents that should have prompted such check. In the prior days, I had visited local stores and shops and my personal interactions were normal, even cordial. There was no valid reason for the police to come onto the property.

The timing of the visit of the 2 Pennsylvania state troopers unfortunately coincided with a visit to the property by a foraging animal like a bear. I have 2 dogs, one a 6-pound Chihuahua and one an 18-pound Schnauzer – not exactly the kinds of dogs one associates with a person prone to violence or extreme behavior. I discharged the rifle (a .22-caliber rifle, again not a weapon associated with terrorists or violent criminals). I had passed all necessary exams in Canada, where obtaining a gun license is no easy feat.

When the 2 state troopers arrived at the cabin, they did not announce their presence and I had no way of knowing that one of the troopers was in the vicinity of the rear area behind the cabin. The discharge of my .22 rifle in the general vicinity of the trooper in the rear yard was not intended to cause any harm to him – and in fact did not cause him any harm.

I was subsequently held on Section 302 warrants – which under Pennsylvania’s Mental Health Act allow for detention of a person for up to 5 days for a mental health evaluation. The protocols under the MHA were not observed and I was held against my will, for an extended period. The ease with which I could be incarcerated was troubling – I had previously been an executive in the high-tech and marketing areas and had been active in the community arts in Brampton where I lived.

The most significant prior event in my life involving the Media was my attempt in 2018 to connect with the person who had received the heart transplant from my son. This story had been the subject of some attention – and had been a source of deep satisfaction for me, in connecting with the person who had received my son’s heart, salvaging a positive out of a very big negative.

Presently, I have another challenge – I am appealing my conviction and sentencing.

In the interim, I have been able to salvage something out of my current situation, listening to the stories of the other women, who are also in jail. Part of the mission I have set for myself, in my retirement and using the skills that I developed in my career, involves helping women who find themselves in prison, often without resources, trapped in a bail situation that leaves them incarcerated. The rate of incarceration of women in the USA stands at 112 per 100,000 – whereas in Canada, it is 23 per 100,000, less than 1/5th of the USA rate.

Part of the problem, based on my own experience, is the high level of credibility that the police are given in the USA. It is otherwise difficult to explain that 2 countries, side by side, should have such a differential in incarceration rates.

Some of the women I have gotten to know in jail have tragic situations, revolving around early-age sexual abuse, drugs and spousal violence. These in turn lead to mental health challenges and to the administration of even more drugs. Left with few resources, these women are unable to make bail and to get released. The women who have children are particularly impacted – as are their children. Based on my 180-day incarceration experience, it is hard to see how a woman’s mental health would be helped by some of the jail conditions.

The Section 302 incarcerations are open to abuse, due to the lack of compliance with the requirements of the law. Some of the women have lost their jobs or seen their lives disrupted while the Section 302 plays out.

One can see these types of situations play out on TV or in a movie. Up close and in real time, the conditions are worse than those depicted in fictional situations – from the food to the lack of privacy, from the lighting to the constant noise. Even making a phone call becomes a challenge and has become a source of windfall revenue for the services that provide phone access. Making money from prisoners seems like a story line from a Medieval era.

One of the elements for which I am grateful consists of the support of my son Kelton Jay Reed. He displaced himself to pick up my dogs, my vehicle and mobile home and relocated them to Canada. His care and love have been evident, in helping me salvage what I can out of an unfortunate set of circumstances. I remain confident with respect to my appeal. Upon my release, I hope to be given the opportunity to help other women in the future, who find themselves trapped in a harsh and cruel system that unfairly impacts women. This trajectory must change and I will dedicate myself to being part of that change, whatever may happen to me personally. Women in both Canada and the USA have much to learn from each other and I wish to become part of that exchange of insights.

I am presently in the McKean County Jail and available for interviews. I am awaiting assignment to a state prison. Once that is accomplished, I will let everyone know of my prison location, which I will not know until the date of assignment. Interviews can be arranged by contacting info@sharonvandrish.com

My name is Sharon Vandrish, a Canadian woman who has encountered a challenging situation with the US legal system. Please take the time to read my story set out below. If you have extra time, please also read the Motion to Vacate the Verdict and for a new Trial. I am grateful for any contact from friends, supporters and journalists. It’s not easy to communicate, due to the restrictions in the jail where I am presently being held. If you send me an e-mail at the following link and I will try to get back to you with instructions on how we can communicate: info@sharonvandrish.com

Motion to vacate verdict and Motion for New Trial