Elgin Nathan James, gang leader turned screenwriter, sentenced to prison

(CBS) - Elgin Nathan James, the former leader of a gang rooted in the hard-core punk scene, was offered a screenwriting contract by a Hollywood studio, only to be sentenced to prison a couple hours later, reported the Chicago Tribune.

James, 41, had worked his way up from being the leader of the street gang "Friends Stand United," to becoming a filmmaker whose film "Little Birds" was chosen as a finalist at the Sundance festival in January.

Tuesday James was sent on an emotional roller-coaster. He was awarded a screenwriting contract with a Hollywood studio - then, that same day, he was sentenced for the attempted extortion of a Chicago-area musician, who was the target of multiple beatings by the gang. James told the musician he could make the beatings stop for $5,000, reported the Tribune.

The judge sentenced James to one year and a day in prison. The extra day will allow him to be released after serving roughly 10 months.

The gang "Friends Stand United," or FSU, was formed to take a physical stand against skinheads in the punk-rock scene.

According to the Tribune, James told the judge, "I did become a better man."

James has received support from many people, including the founder of the Sundance Institute, Robert Redford.

"I believe that Elgin has the potential to make a difference," Redford wrote to the judge, according to the Tribune. "He has an important message for people of all ages and the possibility of change (and) the power of nonviolence."