Christopher “CJ” Precopia faced a terrifying reality when he was wrongly accused of violently attacking his ex-girlfriend and faced up to 99 years in prison. What saved him from this nightmare was a simple selfie taken by his mother, which became key evidence to prove his innocence and prevent him from spending his life behind bars.
On September 22, 2017, CJ was working a regular shift at a lumber yard in Georgetown, Texas, when police unexpectedly arrested him. Confused and scared, CJ couldn’t understand who was accusing him or why. It turned out his high school ex, Faith Cox, had accused him of breaking into her home and attacking her with a box cutter—claims CJ firmly denied.
According to Cox’s statement, on September 20, 2017, she said CJ broke in around 7:20 p.m., pushed her down, punched her, and injured her with a box cutter, even carving an “X” into her chest. Despite no physical evidence linking CJ to the attack, he was charged with first-degree felony burglary, a crime punishable by up to 99 years.
CJ was haunted by the threat of wrongful imprisonment and spent months in jail, supported by his family who posted a $150,000 bond. His fight for justice seemed daunting until his mother Erin shared a photo from the same evening showing CJ with friends far from the crime scene. This selfie, posted on Facebook at 7:02 p.m., showed CJ at a hotel about 70 miles away from where the attack supposedly happened, providing clear proof he couldn’t have been there.
This digital alibi helped prosecutors dismiss all charges nine months later. Faith Cox was later charged with filing a false police report, and CJ expressed relief and emotional joy at her being held accountable.
Now a Navy member, CJ reflects on how dangerous false accusations can be and how powerful social media evidence was in saving his life. His story highlights the gaps in the justice system and how important digital records can be in proving the truth.
