President Obama Grants Pardons and Commutation

US President Barack Obama granted pardons Monday to five individuals and commutation of sentence to one individual. The majority of the persons receiving a pardon were convicted in drug cases, three of which were related to marijuana.

PARDONS:

Lesley Claywood Berry Jr. ­- Loretto, Ky.

Offense : Conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846.

Sentence : April 29, 1988; District of Minnesota; three years in prison.

Dennis George Bulin – Wesley Chapel, Fla.

Offense : Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 1,000 pounds of marijuana, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846 and 18 U.S.C. § 2.

Sentence : March 10, 1987; Middle District of Alabama; five years of probation and $20,000 fine.

Ricky Dale Collett – Annville, Ky.

Offense : Aiding and abetting in the manufacture of 61 marijuana plants, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and 18 U.S.C. § 2.

Sentence : March 7, 2002; Eastern District of Kentucky; one year of probation conditioned on 60 days of home detention.

Martin Kaprelian – Park Ridge, Ill.

Offense : Conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. § 371; transporting stolen property in interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. § 2314; concealing stolen property that was transported in interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. § 2315.

Sentence : Feb. 1, 1984; Northern District of Illinois; nine years in prison, five years of probation.

Thomas Paul Ledford – Jonesborough, Tenn.

Offense : Conducting and directing an illegal gambling business, 18 U.S.C. § 1955.

Sentence : June 12, 1995; Eastern District of Tennessee; one year of probation conditioned on performance of 100 hours of community service.

COMMUTATION:

Eugenia Marie Jennings – Alton, Ill.

Offense : Distribution of cocaine base, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

Sentence : Feb. 23, 2001; Southern District of Illinois; 262 months in prison, eight years of supervised release, $1,750 fine.

Terms of commutation : Prison sentence to expire on Dec. 21, 2011, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.