Biden pardons nine federal cannabis POWs

In April, President Joe Biden’s office released a list of pardons extended by his office to people with various federal charges. One of the first three names on his list was a cannabis offender.

Dexter Eugene Jackson of Athens, Georgia, is a 52-year-old man who was convicted in 2002 for using his business to facilitate the distribution of marijuana in the Northern District of Georgia.  Mr. Jackson was not personally involved in trafficking marijuana, but allowed marijuana distributors to use his pool hall to facilitate drug transactions, which landed him in a conspiracy with the actual producers and sellers.  

Another of his first three pardons focused on the issue of the crack / powder cocaine discrepancy by pardoning Betty Jo Bogans os Houston, Texas, a 51-year-old woman who was convicted in 1998 of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in the Southern District of Texas after attempting to transport drugs for her boyfriend and his accomplice, neither of whom were detained or arrested. This is a classic example of the girlfriend being punished more severely than the actual perpetrators.  

List of eight other cannabis pardons

President Biden also commuted the sentences of the following eight people for marijuana (some of which were tied to other drugs. The following descriptions come from the official record:

Ramola Kaye Brown – Huntsville, Texas: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and less than 50 kilograms of marijuana (Southern District of Texas). Sentence: 145 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (September 15, 2015). 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.

Jose Luis Colunga – Juniata, Nebraska: Conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana (Eastern District of Tennessee). Sentence: 240 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (July 13, 2010). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on October 26, 2023, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.

Stacie Demers – Constable, New York: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute marijuana (Northern District of New York).
Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (October 26, 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.

Christopher Gunter – Columbia, South Carolina: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, and 100 kilograms or more of marijuana; possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana and a quantity of MDMA (District of South Carolina). Sentence: 240 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (September 25, 2008). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on August 24, 2022, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.

Carry Le – Duluth, Georgia: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants (Southern District of Texas). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 4, 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.

Paul A. Lupercio – Blue Springs, Missouri: Conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and five kilograms or more of cocaine (Western District of Missouri). Sentence: 240 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (May 8, 2008). Commutation Grant: Sentence to expire on August 24, 2022, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.

Quang Nguyen – Houston, Texas: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants (Southern District of Texas). Sentence: 120 months of imprisonment, five-year term of supervised release (March 30, 2017). 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.

Fermin Serna – Rio Grande City, Texas: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute in excess of 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, a schedule I controlled substance (Southern District of Texas). Sentence: 240 months of imprisonment, 10-year term of supervised release (November 9, 2007). Commutation Grant: Sentence commuted to expire on August 24, 2022, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release.