the newly religious Jew

I don't know what it is about prison that makes it so common for prisoners to suddenly find religion, but it happens, and it happens a lot. Maybe it is the upcoming parole board, and they think that making it look like they turned their life around will get the parole board to be forthcoming to them, or maybe it is sincere.

The latest report is that former minister Avraham Hischson, sitting in jail for stealing from the March of the Living (how much more anti-God can you be than stealing from an organization that memorializes and teaches about the Holocaust?), has been in the process of becoming religious in jail. He participates in every shiur that is given, especially those given by Rav Grossman. Besides that he davens and spends time learning.

Way to go.