Tim Allen Reveals How He Was Able To Avoid A Life Time In Jail For Cocaine Trafficking

"You definitely want to learn about how to shut up"

Maryjane

• Published in Film & TV
• October 6, 2024

Tim Allen has played so many various characters—Mike Baxter, Santa Claus, Buzz Lightyear, Tim Taylor, and so on—that he frequently loses track of who he really is. At least he's changed from the aimless youth who made poor decisions and got into trouble with the authorities.

You can say that Tim Allen was considering his options even before he rose to fame as an actor. And yes, it included living out the rest of his days behind bars.

Allen was nabbed at the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport in Michigan in 1978, just a few years after he began his career as a comedian. He carried with him 650 grams of cocaine and was expected to pass it to a contact there.

In Tim Allen (Overcoming Adversity), it is stated that Michael Pifer, an undercover police officer, had been pursuing Allen for several months and had worked out a plan to exchange the cocaine for money. Inspired by a scene from a TV show, Allen suggested the airport, hid the bag of cocaine in a locker, met Pfier, and gave him the keys.

Instead of receiving the $42,000 he had anticipated, he was encircled by armed cops with their guns fixed on him. Well, it must surely not be a lucky day for Tim Allen.

Just in case you didn't know, Tim Allen used to have a big moustache

Allen might have to spend the rest of his life behind bars since Michigan had just approved a law that stipulated life in prison for anyone found in possession of 650 grams of cocaine. So he pleaded guilty in court to accusations of drug trafficking and disclosed the identities of his criminal associates.

As a result, his anticipated sentence was lowered, and his case was transferred from a state court where he could have faced life in prison to a federal court.

Tim Allen spent less time in jail after he gave up names of his partners

He was ultimately given a term of three to seven years in prison, but he was freed after two years and four months, returning to freedom in 1981.

"I was an F up. After my old man died, I really just played games with people and told adults what they wanted to hear and then stole their booze. I had so much shame at the things that I did… especially driving people around. Coming from a dad that was killed that way, it’s difficult to get past it,” the actor said while reflecting on his past.

Same person at two different times

Speaking on the WTF with Marc Maron show, Allen reflected on his conviction and said that the interval between being charged and receiving his sentence made him reassess his life.

The Toy Story actor also discussed his prison time saying:

“I just shut up and did what I was told. It was the first time ever I did what I was told and played the game. I learned literally how to live day by day. And I learned how to shut up. You definitely want to learn about how to shut up."

Tim Allen said that he eventually got used to it after eight months. "There were ok times. Saturday we got better food."

Eventually, the actor went from a holding cell arrangement to his own cell and now he's here today doing better things with his life.

Maryjane