From convict to public defender: BYU grad's life transformed

PROVO, Utah (AP) — By 2003, 22-year-old Ben Aldana already had a long history of run-ins with police.

Starting in his early teens, a combination of drugs and a bad set of friends had set him on a path that eventually led to him spending years in federal prison on drug-related charges.

In short, he might not be who one would picture as graduating from Brigham Young University's law school with a public defender job lined up post-graduation.

Three years of law school is tough for whoever attempts it, but for Aldana, even getting accepted to the program was a victory.

Aldana had applied to multiple law schools after getting his undergrad out of the way at Utah Valley University.