. >> reporter: pochen had been in jail before had a job inside and even earned money.tside, life was bleak. >> you are living in the woods, you hit rock bottom. >> the maximum he would be looking at would be 13 years. and he was disappointed because he wished that it potentially could be more. >> reporter: in open court, judge clarence murray asked if there wasn't somebody somewhere, who with would give pochen a job. >> i never heard a judge say that before. >> reporter: when the owner of a local trucking company heard about it he was moved. >> it's a way of reaching out to someone who was hopeless. we have a great welder that will be loyal to us and with we'll be loyal to him. >> reporter: now with his sentence modified pochen isn't serving time he's punching in. >> until they kick me out of here or shut the door on me, i ain't leaving. >> reporter: with steady work support, even a retirement account, david pochen said he's never looking tore going back. kevin tibbles, nbc news chicago heights, illinois. >>> that is "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. lester holt will