WASHINGTON (AP): President Barack Obama is cutting short the sentences of 214 federal inmates, including 67 serving life sentences.
The White House says it’s the largest batch of commutations on a single day in more than a century. Almost all the prisoners were serving time for nonviolent drug offenses.
The commutations bring to 562 the total number of sentences Obama has shortened. The White House says that’s more than the past nine presidents combined. Almost 200 of those who have benefited were serving life sentences.
White House counsel Neil Eggleston says Obama will continue granting clemency to more inmates during the final months of his presidency. He says those receiving commutations were imprisoned under antiquated, overly harsh sentencing laws.
Most of those receiving commutations Wednesday will be released December 1.
The Indiana inmates whose sentences are getting cut short are below.
Asher Adkins – Columbia City, IN
Offense: Two counts of distribution of meth and aiding and abetting; three counts of distribution of methamphetamine; two counts of use or carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; two counts of distribution of more than 100 grams of meth
Sentence: 624 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (January 3, 2000)
Reinaldo A. Arocho – Lake Station, IN
Offense: Drug conspiracy; maintaining a drug house; distribution of crack cocaine; carrying a firearm during drug trafficking; attempting to corruptly persuade a witness
Sentence: 387 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (January 19, 2000); amended to 300 months’ imprisonment (January 18, 2011)
Cleveland R. Franklin, Jr. – Indianapolis, IN
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing cocaine base; carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime
Sentence: 300 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release; $1,000 fine (November 17, 2006)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on August 3, 2018, conditioned upon enrollment in residential drug treatment.
Vernon Jones – Evansville, IN
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute in excess of 50 grams of cocaine base (mixture); distribution of cocaine base (mixture) (two counts); Southern District of Indiana
Sentence: 360 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (June 9, 2008)
Amir Morgan – Evansville, IN
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (mixture); Southern District of Indiana
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (December 19, 2007)
