President Barack Obama has for federal criminals across the country including one in Colorado for a man serving a life prison term on methamphetamine distribution and gun possession charges.
Erenio C. Perez of Colorado Springs was serving a life prison sentence for various drug manufacturing and distribution charges.
With the commutation, Perez will be released from prison on Dec. 1, according to U.S. Justice Department documents.
Perez was convicted in U.S. District Court in Colorado and sentenced to a life term on April 19, 1996.
His charges included conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, two counts of possession and aiding and abetting the possession of ephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute more than 100 grams of methamphetamine, according to a news release by the U.S. Justice Department.
“Today’s historic announcement is yet another step in the administration’s efforts to restore proportionality to unnecessarily long drug sentences,” said Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates in a news release on Wednesday.
In just the first eight months of 2016, Obama has more than doubled the number of commutations granted in all of 2015, the news release says.
“But we are not done yet, and we expect that many more men and women will be given a second chance through the Clemency Initiative,” Yates said.
