Jose Vega was released on parole on March 30, 2014, after serving 18 months on a 2- to 20-year sentence. Since his release from prison, Vega has grown into a successful business owner and a positive role model for reentrants, youth, and young adults in the Lancaster community.
Vega is the owner-operator of the gym Team Beast Mode, where he also works as a personal trainer. He also owns a screen-printing business which he has utilized to create t-shirts for events at the gym and schools.
Vega currently runs Team Beast Mode Takes Over Jackson, a physical fitness program for youth at Jackson Middle School in Lancaster. He has also run field days, encouraging youth to participate in “old school” style competitions such as 3-legged races, water balloon fights, and relay races, at Washington, Lafayette, and Jackson schools in Lancaster. He has participated in at least five career days and presented information to youth about being a gym owner and personal trainer. Additionally, Vega has spoken at commencement for Washington Elementary and Jackson Middle Schools.
Vega has also conducted events at the gym for Help the Fight, a non-profit organization that provides supportive funding for those diagnosed with breast cancer. Additional events include a Backpack Giveaway filled with school supplies for the past eight years at the end of summer, collections of goods, such as toys, coats, food, and gift cards during the holiday season, and adopting a family in need for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
While supervised by Community Reentry Parole Agent McCann in 2019, Vega expressed a desire to develop a program to mentor reentrants while providing an opportunity for them to integrate physical fitness into their lifestyles. Although there is no formal program in place yet, Vega has generously accepted referrals for reentrants who have struggled with adjusting but are striving to make positive choices and lead prosocial lifestyles. He has allowed the use of his gym, provided mentoring, and provided positive connections for reentrants.
Vega recently started coordinating with the Lancaster County Reentry Coalition to provide time for reentrants to utilize the gym and to create a safe, comfortable space to work on life skills.
Since his return to the community in 2014, Vega has been a great resource for the Lancaster community, parole agents, and for his fellow reentrants. He just celebrated 10 years since his return from incarceration, and he was honored with a certificate of achievement by CRPA McCann and CRPA Godfrey.
