Biden pardons 11, including cutting prison sentences for 2 imprisoned Florida drug dealers

C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated ·7 min read
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Two men serving lengthy prison sentences in Florida for non-violent drug offenses have had their sentences commuted by President Joe Biden, the White House announced Friday. The president also announced a "full, complete, and unconditional pardon" to every American who uses marijuana or has in the past.

The proclamation represents a major expansion of his proclamation in October 2022 when the president pardoned everyone with federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana. The new proclamation does not pardon people convicted for selling pot, which remains illegal under federal law.

The president also commuted the sentences of 11 people across the country — two of them in Florida — who he said "are serving disproportionately long sentences for non-violent drug offenses."

"Criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities," Biden said in a statement. "Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It’s time that we right these wrongs."

The sweeping pardon applies to all U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents in possession of marijuana for their personal use, including those who were never arrested or prosecuted, and those convicted of similar federal crimes.

"As I have said before," Biden wrote in the new proclamation, "convictions for simple possession of marijuana have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities."

'A measure of hope': Many Americans arrested for marijuana won't find relief under Biden's pardon plan

In April of this year, Biden unveiled a criminal justice reform initiative involving about 100 policy actions across 20 agencies to provide people getting out of prison with additional access to housing vouchers, Pell grants for education and small business loans. At the same time he issued nearly three dozen commutations for people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses.

Reducing non-violent drug offense sentences and decriminalizing marijuana possession has been a growing trend in the U.S. of late. Nineteen states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana and 31 states have decriminalized it. In Florida, where medical marijuana has been legal in some form since 2015, an amendment to make recreational marijuana legal may be on the 2024 ballot.

Here are the Florida sentences being commuted.

Leroy Lymons, Pensacola

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine (Northern District of Florida).

Sentence: Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (June 12, 2012).

Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to a term of 27 years, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

According to the Department of Justice, Lymons was a supervisory-level conspirator in a multi-state drug operation and responsible, along with his coconspirators, for distributing approximately 80 kilograms of cocaine between Jan. 1, 2010, and April 21, 2010. Lyman was convicted in 2012, along with nine other Floridians and two men from Texas, so his sentence should now expire in 2039.

Esaias J. Tucker, Tallahassee

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and more than 280 grams of cocaine base; possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and more than 28 grams of cocaine base (Northern District of Florida).

Sentence: 20 years of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (January 29, 2013).

Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on April 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

The United States Attorney's Office said that Tucker was the "source of supply" for a street-level drug distribution ring along Tallahassee’s Alabama Street corridor. An undercover investigation called "Operation Sea Change" helped sentence Tucker and 8 others.

Has Biden pardoned people from Florida before?

Biden's list of 31 non-violent drug offenders pardoned in April included Catherine Crotts of Mulberry (10 years for distribution of methamphetamine), and Rogelio Murillo of Riverview (9 years for intent to distribute marijuana).

In Biden's end-of-year pardons last year he commuted the sentences of six people, including John Dix Nock III of St. Augustine, who pleaded guilty to one count of renting and making for use, as an owner, a place for the purpose of manufacturing marijuana plants 27 years previously. He was sentenced to six months’ community confinement in lieu of imprisonment, followed by three years’ supervised release.

Who else did President Biden pardon?

The other nine people who received clemency Friday are:

Felipe Arriaga – Sunnyside, Washington

  • Offense: Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (District of Montana).

  • Sentence: 20 years of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (December 17, 2009).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on April 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

Earlie Deacon Barber – Dothan, Alabama

  • Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of a mixture and substance containing cocaine and more than 50 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base (Northern District of Florida).

  • Sentence: Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (September 9, 2009).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on April 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

James Michael Barber – Gastonia, North Carolina

  • Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base (Western District of North Carolina).

  • Sentence: 15 years and eight months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (February 13, 2015).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on February 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

Anthony Ewing – Union City, Georgia

  • Offense: Conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack) (Central District of Illinois).

  • Sentence: 20 years of imprisonment (as amended by order of June 22, 2017), 10-year term of supervised release (January 22, 2016).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on April 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

Quittman Andre Goodley – Austin, Texas

  • Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base (Western District of Texas).

  • Sentence: 20 years of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (July 18, 2012).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on February 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

Deondre Cordell Higgins – Kansas City, Missouri

  • Offense: Conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base; distribution of cocaine base (Western District of Missouri).

  • Sentence: Life imprisonment, no supervised release (August 30, 2011).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to a term of 25 years, leaving intact and in effect all other components of the sentence and with the final two years of his incarceration in prerelease custody, to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Angel Rosario – Allentown, Pennsylvania

  • Offense: Distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) within 1,000 feet of a public school; distribution of 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack); distribution of cocaine base (crack) within 1,000 feet of a public school (two counts); distribution of cocaine base (crack) (two counts) (Eastern District of Pennsylvania).

  • Sentence: 21 years and 10 months of imprisonment, eight-year term of supervised release, and $2,500 fine (July 19, 2012).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on April 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the eight-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

Darryl Allen Winkfield – Augusta, Georgia

  • Offense: Conspiracy to distribute, and to possess cocaine and cocaine base with intent to distribute; distribution of cocaine hydrochloride (three counts); possession of cocaine and cocaine base with intent to distribute (Southern District of Georgia).

  • Sentence: Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (September 29, 1998).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on April 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

Kenneth Winkler – Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Offense: Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine (Southern District of Indiana).

  • Sentence: 20 years of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (July 23, 2012).

  • Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on February 20, 2024, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.

Francesca Chambers, Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Biden pardons marijuana convictions for Florida non-violent offenders