TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — For his first time as president, Joe Biden pardoned or commuted the sentences of 78 individuals this week, granting clemency to them and ending their time in prison. Three of the individuals to receive commutations are from Florida.
The three Floridians who received sentence commutations will have their time in federal prison reduced. Two of the individuals will have their prison terms end on April 26, 2023, while the third will have their sentence expire on August 24, 2022. All three were convicted on drug-related charges and will retain supervised release requirements after leaving prison.
Biden’s three Floridian picks are detailed below.
- Manuel Ruben Duran-Pimentel – Miami, Florida
Offense: Conspiracy to import controlled substances; laundering of monetary instruments (District of Puerto Rico).
Sentence: 151 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (April 20, 2016).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on April 26, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release. - Mackie Shivers – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine (Southern District of Florida).
Sentence: Life imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (April 10, 2001).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on August 24, 2022, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release. - Cleola Sullivan – Tallahassee, Florida
Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine (Northern District of Florida).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (December 13, 2016).
Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on April 26, 2023, with the remainder to be served in home confinement, leaving intact and in effect the five-year term of supervised release.
Since 2017, the United States has designated April as “Second Chance Month.” The declaration for a series of events related to prisoner redemption and returns to community after serving time was passed in U.S. Congress after receiving bipartisan sponsorship.
In a statement on the commutations and three pardons, Biden said he was continuing to work with leaders on both sides of the political aisle and across multiple communities to reform the criminal justice system. During Second Chance Month, Biden said he’d use his authority as president to “uphold” the values of “second chances, redemption, and rehabilitation,” as part of the month’s activities.
Originally, Second Chance Month was proposed by the Prison Fellowship, America’s largest nonprofit for prisoners, former prisoners and families. The organization advocates for justice reform centered on rehabilitation and keeping families together even when some parents are incarcerated. The faith-based organization was started in 1976.
In his statement on the commutations, Biden also announced a new strategy for providing second chances to formerly incarcerated individuals.
“Leaders on both sides of the aisle recognize that second chance opportunities offer people who have made mistakes and served their time a path to make meaningful contributions to their communities and reduce recidivism,” Biden said in the statement. “In doing so, we can break the cycle of crime, and allow law enforcement to focus their time and resources on the most pressing threats to public safety.”
Part of that strategy is creating job opportunities for formerly convicted Americans. His statement on rehabilitation strategy said there were 600,000 people who leave prison every year, and finding a job to make end’s meet was “among the most significant challenges” they face.
Part of the second chance plan from the Biden administration includes a program called Pathway Home. According to a White House release, $55 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Labor will be used for job training, pre-apprenticeship programs, digital literacy training, and pre-release and post-release career counseling to help those leaving the U.S. prison system.
Additionally, the Small Business Administration has been instructed to “remove barriers to eligibility based on irrelevant criminal history records for its 7(a), Microloan, and 504 loan programs” as a way to assist former convicts in starting small businesses. The program will also “provide loans to low-income borrowers and those from underserved communities.”
Formerly incarcerated Americans will also be given more opportunities to join the federal workforce, with the Office of Personnel Management to publish new regulations that remove federal employment barriers to those recently out of prison. It will work through rules set by the “bipartisan Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act,” according to the White House. A full detail of the programs in the reentry strategy from the Biden administration can be found online.
