A man whose prison sentence was among those commuted by former President Joe Biden has been arrested again.
Willie Frank Peterson, 52, whose 2023 conviction of conspiracy to distribute cocaine was commuted by Biden as part of a January 17 executive grant of clemency. allowing him to leave custody, shortly after, was booked in Dothan, Alabama, on two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of marijuana, as well as drug paraphernalia and three firearms-related offenses, according to police records obtained by FOX News. Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 convicted criminals on January 17, which set a new record for the most individual pardons and commutations by a president in U.S. history.
The round of pardons included nonviolent drug offenders that he deemed to have served “disproportionately long sentences” compared to current-day laws and policies.
“Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” Biden said in a statement obtained by the New York Post.
“This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars,” the president added.
In December, Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of 40 men on federal death row. Biden said the reduced sentences were “consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions,” making exceptions for three inmates convicted of terrorism or hate-motivated mass killings.
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