Biden pardons St. Augustine man in marijuana grow house case

From Staff Reports
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President Joe Biden granted a full pardon to a St. Augustine man who served time on marijuana-related charges along with five others on Friday. All six have served out sentences after convictions on a murder charge and drug- and alcohol-related crimes.

The criminal record of the crimes is purged.

John Dix Nock III, 72, pleaded guilty to one count of renting and making for use, as an owner, a place for the purpose of manufacturing marijuana plants in 1996.

The White House news release said “Nock accepted responsibility for his crime.” The release says Nock did not cultivate marijuana and played no role in the grow-house conspiracy.

April 2, 2022: A demonstrator waves a flag with marijuana leaves depicted on it during a protest calling for the legalization of marijuana, outside of the White House in Washington D.C.. President Joe Biden is pardoning thousands of Americans convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana under federal law, as his administration takes a dramatic step toward decriminalizing the drug and addressing charging practices that disproportionately impact people of color.

Read more:Nock's pardon document

From the White House:Read the full news release

He was sentenced to six months’ community confinement in lieu of imprisonment, followed by three years’ supervised release. Nock paid the government the value of the home he rented to his brother.

Nock completed his community confinement in March 1997, his term of supervised release ended on March 23, 2000.

The White House says Nock operates a general contracting business and mentors young contractors through a professional networking group. He has helped organize an annual fishing tournament to benefit abused young men, according to the release.

Biden had granted three pardons prior to this since he took office, in addition to the sweeping pardon he issued in October for federal convictions for simple marijuana possession offenses.

The pardons were announced while the president was spending time with his family on St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The White House said those pardoned are people who went on to serve their communities. It said the pardons reflect Biden’s view people deserve a second chance.

Friday’s list includes an 80-year-old woman convicted of killing her abusive husband about a half-century ago and a man who pleaded guilty to using a telephone for a cocaine transaction in the 1970s.

Who else did Biden pardon? 

  • Gary Parks Davis, of Yuma, Arizona: Davis, 66, pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility (a telephone) to facilitate an unlawful cocaine transaction at age 22. Davis served a six-month sentence on nights and weekends in a county jail and completed probation in 1981. Since then, Davis has earned a bachelor’s degree and now owns a landscaping business and manages construction projects.

  • Edward Lincoln De Coito III of Dublin, California: De Coito, 50, pleaded guilty to involvement in a marijuana trafficking conspiracy at age 23, where his involvement was limited to serving as a courier on five or six occasions. De Coito was imprisoned from March 1999 and released in December 2000. Prior to the offense, he served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, where he received a number of awards including the Southwest Asia Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Humanitarian Service Medal. After his release, De Coito was an electrician for roughly 15 years before embarking on a second career as a pilot.

  • Vincente Ray Flores of Winters, California: Flores, 37, pleaded guilty at a special court-martial at the age 19 after he consumed ecstasy and alcohol while serving in the military. Flores was sentenced to four months’ confinement, forfeiture of $700 pay per month for a four month period, and reduction in rank to E-2. He participated in a six-month rehabilitation program in exchange for his plea. Flores remains on active duty and has received numerous awards, including the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Award.

  • Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas of Columbus, Ohio: Ibn-Tamas, 80, was convicted of murder in the second degree while armed for killing her husband when she was 33. Ibn-Tamas at the time was pregnant and testified that before and during her pregnancy, her husband beat her, verbally abused her and threatened her. She said during her testimony that her husband had physically assaulted and threatened her before she shot him. At the time, the court refused to allow expert testimony regarding battered woman syndrome, a psychological condition and pattern of behavior that develops in victims of domestic violence. Ibn-Tamas was ultimately sentenced to a term of one to five years’ incarceration, with credit for time served. Ibn-Tamas’s appeal marked one of the first significant steps toward judicial recognition of battered woman syndrome, and her case has been the subject of numerous academic studies.

  • Charlie Byrnes Jackson of Swansea, South Carolina: Jackson, 77, pleaded guilty to one count of possession and sale of distilled spirits without tax stamps. The offense, which occurred when Jackson was 18, involved a single illegal whiskey transaction and resulted in nominal loss to the government. He was sentenced to five years’ probation and was unable to fulfill his dream of enlisting in the United States Marine Corps because of the federal conviction. Jackson has been an active member of his church since 1987, and he has helped many community members in need and used his carpentry skills to maintain and renovate the church buildings.

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: President Biden pardons St. Augustine, Florida man of marijuana charge