buzzz worthy. . .
Ahead of his visit to a federal prison in Oklahoma on Thursday, President Obama today granted commutations to 46 federal prisoners serving time for non-violent drug offenses. Each year the U.S. president exercises the executive privilege base don direct feedback from the U.S. Justice Department to release inmates who have served at least 10 years of their sentence, among other behavior-related factors.
In a letter to the individuals pardoned, President Obama wrote: "I am granting your application because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around. Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity. It will not be easy, and you will confront many who doubt people with criminal records can change. Perhaps even you are unsure of how you will adjust to your new circumstances.”
Thousands of requests for clemency are turned down each year. This year the bulk of the pardons involved those with crack and cocaine handling convictions, with only two marijuana charges on the list.
Ahead of his visit to a federal prison in Oklahoma on Thursday, President Obama today granted commutations to 46 federal prisoners serving time for non-violent drug offenses. Each year the U.S. president exercises the executive privilege base don direct feedback from the U.S. Justice Department to release inmates who have served at least 10 years of their sentence, among other behavior-related factors.
In a letter to the individuals pardoned, President Obama wrote: "I am granting your application because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around. Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity. It will not be easy, and you will confront many who doubt people with criminal records can change. Perhaps even you are unsure of how you will adjust to your new circumstances.”
Thousands of requests for clemency are turned down each year. This year the bulk of the pardons involved those with crack and cocaine handling convictions, with only two marijuana charges on the list.
LIST OF FEDERAL PRISONERS GRANTED COMMUTATIONS
BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
·
Jerry Allen Bailey – Charlotte, NC
Offense: Conspiracy to violate narcotics laws (crack) (Western District of North Carolina)
Sentence: 360 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Apr. 2, 1996)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Shauna Barry-Scott – Youngstown, OH
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (Northern District of Ohio)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Oct. 18, 2005)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Larry Darnell Belcher – Martinsville, VA
Offense:
Possession with intent to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to
distribute marijuana (Western District of Virginia)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Dec. 15, 1997)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
John L. Houston Brower – Carthage, NC
Offense: Distributed cocaine base (“crack”) (Middle District of North Carolina)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (June 22, 2002)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Nathaniel Brown – Orange Park, FL
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute cocaine (more than
five kilograms) and cocaine base (more than 50 grams); distribution of
cocaine base (two counts) (Middle District of Florida)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Aug. 1, 2002)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Norman O’Neal Brown – Hyattsville, MD
Offense:
Distribute quantity of mixture or substance containing a detectable
amount cocaine base (crack), aiding and abetting (five counts); possess
with intent
distribute quantity of mixture or substance containing detectable
amount of cocaine base (crack), aiding and abetting (District of
Maryland)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Jan. 15, 1993)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Joseph Burgos – Chicago, IL
Offense: Distribution of cocaine; use of a communication facility in the commission of a felony (Northern District of Illinois)
Sentence: 360 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release; $200,000 fine (Sept. 2, 1993)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Clarance Callies – San Antonio, TX
Offense:
Conspiracy to distribute in excess of 50 grams of a mixture or
substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base (“crack
cocaine”);
possession with intent to distribute in excess of 50 grams of a mixture
or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base (“crack
cocaine”) (Western District of Texas)
Sentence: 240 months imprisonment; 8 years’ supervised release (Mar. 25, 2002)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Anthony Leon Carroll – Tampa, FL
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (Middle District of Florida)
Sentence: 262 months’ imprisonment; 5 years’ supervised release (Sept. 3, 1999)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Juan Diego Castro – Laredo, TX
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute a quantity in excess of five kilograms of cocaine (Southern District of Texas)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Feb. 1, 2002)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Joe Louis Champion – Houston, TX
Offense:
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 376.9 grams of cocaine
base (crack); aiding and abetting the possession with intent to
distribute 376.9 grams of cocaine base (crack) (Southern District
of Texas)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release; $4,000 fine (June 19, 1997)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015, and the remaining balance of the fine remitted.
·
Cedric Culpepper – Orlando, FL
Offense:
Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; possession with
intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base (Middle
District of Florida)
Sentence: 188 months’ imprisonment; 4 years’ supervised release (Nov. 15, 2004)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Walter R. Dennie – Gary, IN
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute cocaine (two counts) (Middle District of Florida)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Apr. 25, 2002)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Steven D. Donovan – Oak Creek, WI
Offense:
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; interstate
travel to promote distribution of cocaine; possession with intent to
distribute cocaine
(Eastern District of Wisconsin)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Oct. 16, 1992)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Romain Dukes – Chicago, IL
Offense:
Conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, “crack”; distribution of cocaine
base, “crack” (two counts) (Southern District of Iowa)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Oct. 1, 1997)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Tony Lynn Hollis – Knoxville, TN
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute 26.5 grams of cocaine base (Eastern District of Tennessee)
Sentence: 262 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release (June 8, 2001)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Alex William Jackson – Mineral, VA
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (Western District of Virginia)
Sentence: 262
months’ imprisonment; 60 months’ supervised release (Dec. 22, 1999);
amended to 240 months’ imprisonment (June 25, 2008)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Jackie Johnson – Townsend, DE
Offense: Possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a cocaine base (District of Delaware)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Jan. 30, 2007)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Jerome Wayne Johnson – Fort White, FL
Offense: 1. Cultivation of marijuana plants (Middle District of Florida)
2.
Conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to
distribute more than 1,000 marijuana plants (Northern District of
Florida)
Sentence: 1. 60 months’ imprisonment, 5 years’ supervised release (June 25, 2003)
2. 20 years’ imprisonment, concurrent to sentence imposed above, 10 years’ supervised release (May 27, 2004)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Willie C. Johnson – Steele, MO
Offense:
The defendant did knowingly conspire to distribute and possess with the
intent to distribute cocaine base; the defendant did knowingly
distribute cocaine
base; the defendant did knowingly possess with the intent to distribute
cocaine base (Eastern District of Missouri)
Sentence:
360 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (Feb. 18,
2005); amended to 168 months’ imprisonment (Feb. 12, 2015)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Mark Anthony Jones – Boynton Beach, FL
Offense: Distribution of cocaine base (Northern District of Florida)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (July 28, 1999)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Roy Larry Lee – St. Petersburg, FL
Offense:
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (enhanced
penalty); distribution of 50 grams or more of cocaine base (two
counts) (Middle District of Florida)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (May 3, 1990)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Kenneth Lorenzo Lewis – Charlottesville, VA
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (Western District of Virginia)
Sentence: 262 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (Nov. 17, 2000)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Douglas M. Lindsay, II – Newberry, SC
Offense:
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of
cocaine and cocaine base (District of South Carolina)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (Dec. 20, 1996); amended to 293 months’ imprisonment (Mar. 4, 2015)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Kevin Matthews – James Island, SC
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (District of South Carolina)
Sentence: 232 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Feb. 11, 2004)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Marlon McNealy – St. Petersburg, FL
Offense:
Conspiracy to commit racketeering (two counts); conspiracy to distribute
cocaine base; knowingly and intentionally distributing 50 grams or more
of cocaine base (three counts)
(Middle District of Florida)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Aug. 18, 1993)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Brian Nickles – New Orleans, LA
Offense: Distribution of more than 50 grams of cocaine base (two counts) (Eastern District of Louisiana)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Apr. 28, 2004)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Jermaine Lee Osborne – Roanoke, VA
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of cocaine base (Western District of Virginia)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (May 2, 2006)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Marcus H. Richards – Miami, FL
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with
intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and more than
50 grams of cocaine base (Northern District of Florida)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (June 13, 2005)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Patrick Roberts – Detroit, MI
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances (Eastern District of Michigan)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (July 8, 1999)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Bryant Keith Shelton – Kissimmee, FL
Offense: Distribution of cocaine base (Middle District of Florida)
Sentence: 188 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (Apr. 1, 2003)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Ezekiel Simpson – St. Louis, MO
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (Eastern District of Missouri)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Feb. 3, 2005)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Katrina Stuckey Smith – Montrose, GA
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (Middle District of Georgia)
Sentence: 292
months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (July 20, 2000);
amended to 240 months’ imprisonment (Apr. 2, 2008).
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
James Marion Stockton – Martinsville, VA
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute more than
five grams of cocaine base; possession of a firearm during and in
relation to a drug trafficking offense; possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon; possession
with intent to distribute cocaine base (Western District of Virginia)
Sentence: 420 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release (May 27, 2003)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire November 10, 2015.
·
Bart Stover – Ashland, OH
Offense:
Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and
cocaine; use of a communication facility to facilitate the commission of
drug trafficking
offense, aiding and abetting (Northern District of Ohio)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Apr. 12, 2005)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Robert Earl Thomas, Jr. – Houston, TX
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (Eastern District of Texas)
Sentence: 262 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (June 29, 1999)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Bruce Todd – Atlanta, GA
Offense: Distribution of at least 50 grams of crack cocaine (Northern District of Georgia)
Sentence: 262 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (Mar. 3, 2003)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Jeffery Jerome Toler – Pensacola, FL
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (Northern District of Florida)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (June 13, 1996)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Donald Vanderhorst – Charleston, SC
Offense:
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of
five kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of cocaine base
(District of
South
Carolina)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Mar. 15, 2006)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
James Nathan Walton – Thibodeaux, LA
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (Western District of Louisiana)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Sept. 16, 2004)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Telisha Rachette Watkins – Charlotte, NC
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (Western District of North Carolina)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release (Oct. 25, 2007)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Dunning Wells – Fort Myers, FL
Offense:
Unlawful possession of a firearm; distribution of a quantity of
cocaine; possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug
trafficking crime (Middle
District of Florida)
Sentence: 502 months’ imprisonment; six years’ supervised release (Feb. 20, 1992)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Kimberly A. Westmoreland – Columbus, OH
Offense:
Conspiracy to distribute in excess of 50 grams of cocaine base;
carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime (Southern
District of Ohio)
Sentence: 180 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (Jan. 21, 2004)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
James Rufus Woods – Leasburg, NC
Offense: Possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”) (Middle District of North Carolina)
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Nov. 23, 1998)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
John M. Wyatt – Las Cruces, NM
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute marijuana (Southern District of Illinois)
Sentence: 262 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release; $500 fine (Aug. 30, 2004)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.
·
Robert Joe Young – Joppa, AL
Offense:
Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a mixture and
substance containing methamphetamine; possession with the intent to
distribute a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine; use
of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;
possession with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance
containing cocaine; carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug
trafficking crime; endeavoring to influence and impede
the administration of justice (Northern District of Alabama)
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 5 years’ supervised release (Dec. 16, 2002)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on November 10, 2015.