HOLLIDAYSBURG — While under the influence of alcohol, Michael Suckling became a convicted felon when he attempted burglary “with the wrong crowd” 13 years ago.

The 32-year-old Hollidaysburg resident, who battled alcoholism, faced charges for conspiring to a burglary and intends to apply for an expungement of the criminal charges.

It took a DUI charge in 2014 for Suckling to start the recovery process from alcoholism in 2015.

Suckling, now a graduate of the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center’s welding program, is seeking employment. But he said his felony charges are barring him from jobs he would like to apply for.

“If I could get the pardon, it would just help me that much further to Class I railroad work, which I’m currently not going to be able to get into,” Suckling said.

To learn more about pardons and expungements, Suckling attended an information session about the Pathways to Pardons program Thursday evening at the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School.

State Rep. Judy Ward, R-Hollidaysburg, who hosted the event, said the Pathways to Pardons program offers people who made a mistake a “do over.”

The program, founded in 2015 by Lt. Gov. Michael Stack, aims to provide eligible offenders of a summary, misdemeanor or felony second chances by educating them about pardons, ex­punge­ments and commutations application processes.

A pardon is total forgiveness by the state for a crime and allows a person to petition to the court to have the record cleared or expunged. A commutation is a reduction of a prison sentence or parole sentence currently being served.

Dave Cadle, an event attendee who works at a faith-based nonprofit that offers Bible studies at various substance abuse treatment facilities, said, “I think a lot of these people deserve second chances.”

“I’m glad to see the state doing this,” Cadle, executive director of Through Inc., said. “They are being aggressive on this whole thing and once again, there are so many circumstances. I see people that are again in recovery and once they are out of their active addiction, they are different people — just totally different people.”

Steve Burk, secretary for the Pennsylvania Board of Pardons, said, “We are touching people. We are giving people opportunities to learn about second chances, that their past does not haunt them.”

Burk said those who want to apply can visit the Board of Pardons website for an online application or can mail applications to the BOP.

Incarcerated applicants should contact the Depart­ment of Corrections bureau of treatment services at 717-728-2000.

Those interested in commutation can apply to commute death sentences to life in prison, commute minimum and maximum sentences and request pardons. Factors such as criminal history, release planning, level of remorse and completion of treatment programs are considered for review.

Probation and parole agents conduct investigations on behalf of the BOP, reviewing factors such as applicants’ employment, liabilities and indebtedness, community reputation, organization memberships and family composition.

After receiving the investigation reports, the BOP votes to determine if an applicant gets a public hearing at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court room in Harrisburg and will either recommend or deny an application to the governor.

The next public hearings will be June 27, 28 and 29.

Burke said if a pardon is granted by the governor, rights and privileges such as serving on a jury, holding public office, serving in the military, traveling internationally and owning and carrying a firearm can be restored.

“It would help me a lot to have this pardon to show them first off, that I am taking the right steps in life and if they could help me out, then I could be that much more productive in society,” Suckling said. “That’s the main goal for me: to be able to go as high as I can in the work industry.”

“I’ve been on my own mission of recovery and wanting to be a better person,” he added. “It’s been a long road, but it’s been one worth fighting for.” ­­­