Continuing to aggressively target long prison terms for nonviolent drug crimes, President Barack Obama commuted 214 sentences for federal inmates Wednesday, including an Austin man who sold drugs after losing his job and another Texan who became a dealer to pay for his son’s life-saving medical procedure.
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According to the White House, the president has now commuted the sentences of more men and women than the past nine presidents combined.
“Our work is far from finished”, said White House counsel Neil Eggleston in a blog post.
Blue was charged with two counts of distribution of cocaine base and with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, as well as a supervised release violation for distributing cocaine hydrochloride.
In total President Obama has granted clemency to 562 people, more than any other president in modern history. He said those receiving commutations were imprisoned under antiquated, overly harsh sentencing laws. According to the administration, 50 percent of federal inmates are serving sentences for drugs. Obama, who leaves office in January, said Wednesday he will continue to commute prison terms for inmates he believes are serving unjustly lengthy sentences for nonviolent crimes.
Gargano was sentenced to 20 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release on November 20, 2004 for conspiracy to distribute methylenedioxymethamphetamine and ketamine, and distributing and possessing with intent to distribute ecstasy.
Those whose sentences were commuted Wednesday will walk out of prison on December 1. Sentence in 2003: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release.
He said that although acts of clemency, such as pardons and commutations, could give some people second chances, the real challenge lay in overhauling the criminal justice system.
Most of those affected were guilty of non-violent crimes, many involving possession or distribution of drugs.
Of the six South Carolinians, four will have their sentences shortened to expire this December 1. “For others, the President has commuted their sentences to a significantly reduced term so they are consistent with present-day sentencing policies”.
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Another recipient, Debra Brown of Tennessee, was convicted of selling cocaine in 2002 and sentenced to 20 years. While Walden and Gillespie’s sentences will expire in August 2018, conditional on them enrolling in residential drug treatment.
