Omaha, NE- Jason Yaeger talked with Action 3 News on the phone from a Federal Prison Camp in Yankton, South Dakota.  He says after the warden denied his many requests for a special release, he's been calling on Senators, Governors and even the President of the United States. He's desperate to see his daughter before she dies. Jason Yaeger says, "It ain't about me. It's never been about me."

  The 34 year old father of two girls believes it's about his daughter, Jayci. She's ten and dying of brain cancer in a Lincoln hospice house.   Jayci's asked to see her daddy one last time. Jason says, "It would help her deal with what's going on and give her more strength to fight to stay alive. I'm not asking the warden to release me from prison, that I'm not asking."

  With one year left on his five and a half year sentence for using and selling meth, Jason wants to go to the federal half way house in Council Bluffs, IA early.
 He's already scheduled to go there in August.
 "I'm not even asking to go to a place where they're not planning to put me. I want to go there now. Jayci may not have five months left. At the half way house, I can spend the weekends with my family and I can work and help with financial obligations. Ultimately what my goal is is to ask him (warden) the same thing the state does for minimum security prisoners, just like I am. I want to finish my sentence there, do my time there at the half way house."

   The warden did grant Jason two brief escorted trips last month and one previously.  But is denying the inmate's requests for early release to the half way house, compassionate release and a 30 -day supervised release. The warden states Jason's case doesn't meet the prison's extraordinary circumstances policy.
Jason says, "I can't understand how it can't be extraordinary justification and how it cannot be. What else could it be. It's not for me but for my children. They have extraordinary reasons for needing me there. If it's meant to be, it will happen. I'm pretty sure it's meant to be, so I believe in my heart it will happen."

  Concerning his drug use, Jason says, "I was a drug addict. I still am a drug addict. The difference between then and now is then I didn't have God, today I do. Yes, Im very sorry for what I've done and my children are the ones suffering the most for it. " Jason has another daughter, 8 year old Shelby. He says Shelby and Jayci are extremely close and he wants to be there for her too.

  The Federal Bureau of Prisons released a statement Thursday.

"Officials at the Federal Prison Camp are sensitive to the request from inmate Yaeger and his family to allow him to visit his daughter. In response to inmate Yaeger's request, he has been escorted by prison staff on three separate occasions to allow him to be with his daughter during this difficult time. Two of these trips have occurred within the past month. We have also assisted inmate Yaeger in maintaining telephonic contact wtih his family and daughter. The Bureau of Prisons routinely utilizes furloughs and escorted trips in response to family emergencies, whichever is deemed most appropriate based on a review of security and safety concerns for both the inmate involved and the community. Bureau of Prisons officials have reviewed inmate Yaeger's request for a compassionate release and have determined his situation does not meet the criteria set forth in the Bureau of Prisons Program Statement, 5050.46, Compassionate Release; Procedures for Implementation of 18 U.S.C. 3582 c (1) (A) & 4205 (g), dated May 19, 1998. Inmate Yaeger's request for extended placement in a Residential Re-entry Center is currently in litigation;therefore, we are unable to comment further on his request. The Federal Bureau of Prisons does not have the authority to release or suspend a court imposed sentence. Our agency's mission is to protect society by confining offenders in controlled environments of prisons and community based facilities which are safe, humane, and appropriately secure."

If you would like to help the Yaeger family with medical expenses:

  Jayci Yaeger Fund Wells Fargo 1248 "O" Street Lincoln, Ne. 68508.

Reported by Michelle Bandur;michelle@action3news.com