President Barack Obama is cutting short the sentences of 102 federal inmates as part of his ongoing push to grant clemency during his final months in office. Three inmates from Missouri and two from Kansas are among those who will see their sentences shortened. Four Iowa men and a woman from Nebraska will also see their sentences commuted.
Almost all of those receiving commutations were convicted of drug-related offenses. Most are considered nonviolent offenders, although some were convicted of firearms charges in connection with drug crimes. Many of the recipients had been serving life sentences.
But Obama isn’t setting them all free right away. Many of those receiving commutations will see their sentences end in October 2018, almost two years into the next president’s term.
The latest round brings to 774 the number of sentences Obama has commuted, including 590 this year. The White House says it’s more than the previous 11 presidents put together.
Here are the commutations from our area listed on the Justice Department’s Web site (click here)
Lemond Carmickel – St. Louis, MO
Offense: Possession with the intent to distribute cocaine; Eastern District of Missouri
Sentence: 360 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release (February 25, 2000)
Marc Collins – St. Louis, MO
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base (mixture); Southern District of Indiana
Sentence: 210 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release; $1,000 fine (March 4, 2008)
Leroy Fondren, Jr. – Kansas City, KS
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime; District of Kansas
Sentence: 180 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (March 26, 2007)
Lavelle Henderson – Topeka, KS
Offense: Continuing criminal enterprise; money laundering; District of Kansas
Sentence: Life imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (November 22, 2002)
Lincoln Cardell Henderson – Kansas City, MO
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of “crack” cocaine; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of “crack” cocaine; Western District of Missouri
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (August 31, 2004)
Maria Conchita Marino – West Point, NE
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; Southern District of Iowa
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (February 29, 2008)
Michael Jay Bertram – Dumont, IA
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute a mixture of methamphetamine containing more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine after having been previously convicted of a felony drug offense; Northern District of Iowa
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (February 23, 2011)
Nicholas Jolise Deering – Des Moines, IA
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of cocaine base; Southern District of Iowa
Sentence: 223 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (June 29, 2010)
Rodger Lee Moran – Des Moines, IA
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine; Southern District of Iowa
Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (June 25, 2009)
Kenny Siepker – Carroll, IA
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture; unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine while on pretrial release; Northern District of Iowa
Sentence: 372 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (October 11, 2002)
(Staff and wire reports)