Political Hotsheet
December 23, 2008 2:30 PM

Bush Grants 19 More Pardons

(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
President Bush today pardoned 19 people and commuted the sentence of one more, roughly one month after he pardoned 14 others. Mr. Bush has now granted 190 pardons and nine commutations, far fewer than the total granted by Presidents Clinton and Reagan.

Robert Truman Reece, who was convicted of "unauthorized absence" and "unauthorized absence; missing ship's movement" way back in 1949, was among those pardoned; part of his sentence was "forfeiture of $30 pay per month for two months and a bad conduct discharge" from the Navy.

Also pardoned was Charles Winters, whose 1949 offense was "conspiracy to export, and exportation, of a military aircraft to a foreign country in violation of the Neutrality Act of 1939." Winters, who died in the 1980s, had been helping to ship arms and aircraft to Jews who were looking to found their own state in the Middle East, the Associated Press reports.

Two of those pardoned were convicted of marijuana distribution, while the commutation came in the case of an Iowa resident given life in prison in 1996 for intent to distribute methamphetamine. Others were pardoned for "conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens," possession of an unregistered firearm, mail fraud, and embezzlement. The full list is below.

From the Department Of Justice:

WASHINGTON – On Dec. 23, 2008, President George W. Bush granted pardons to 19 individuals and commutation of sentence to one individual:

PARDONS:

  • William Thomas Alvis III - Flushing, Ohio

    Offense: Possession of an unregistered firearm, 26 U.S.C. § 5861; distribution of cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a) (1).

    Sentence: May 21, 1990; Northern District of West Virginia; 13 months in prison, five years of supervised release following the prison term.

  • John Allen Aregood a/k/a Johnny (Sonny) Aregood - Riviera, Texas

    Offense: Conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens; 18 U.S.C. § 371, 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii)(iii).

    Sentence: Nov. 21, 1996; Southern District of Texas; three years of probation, $1,000 fine.

  • Eric Charles Blanke - Parker, Colo.

    Offense: Making impressions of obligations of the United States; 18 U.S.C. § 474.

    Sentence: July 21, 1995; Southern District of California; three years of probation conditioned on performance of 50 hours of community service.

  • Steve Doyle Cavender - The Villages, Fla.

    Offense: Conspiring to import, possess, distribute and dispense marijuana; importing and causing to be imported marijuana; possessing marijuana with intent to distribute; 18 U.S.C. § 371, 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 952(a).

    Sentence: Aug. 6, 1973; Northern District of Alabama; six months in prison in a jail-type institution, five years of probation, two years of special parole.

  • Marie Elena Eppens a/k/a Marie Elana Eppens - Lynden, Wash.

    Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute marijuana; 21 U.S.C. § 846.

    Sentence: June 9, 1992; District of Nebraska; four years of probation conditioned on 60 days of confinement in a jail-type institution on work release, four months of home detention and performance of 200 hours of community service.

  • Lydia Lee Ferguson a/k/a Lydia Lee Helland - Sun City, Ariz.

    Offense: Aiding and abetting possession of stolen mail; 18 U.S.C. §§ 1708 and 2.

    Sentence: Nov. 5, 1990; District of Arizona; 18 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, $5,000 restitution.

  • Eduviges Duvi Gonzalez-Matsumura a/k/a Eduviges Duvi Gonzalez - Clovis, Calif.

    Offense: Aiding and abetting embezzlement of bank funds; 18 U.S.C. §§ 656 and 2.

    Sentence: May 10, 1993; Central District of California; two months in prison, three years of supervised release conditioned on performance of 300 hours of community service.

  • George Clarence Greene Jr. - Gray, Ga.

    Offense: Mail fraud; 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 2.

    Sentence: Nov. 21, 1985; Northern District of Georgia; three years of probation, $1,000 fine.

  • James Won Hee Kang a/k/a Won Hee Kang - South Barrington, Ill.

    Offense: Trafficking in counterfeit goods; 18 U.S.C. § 2320.

    Sentence: May 9, 1985; Northern District of Illinois; one year of probation, $5,000 fine.

  • Alan Stephen Maiss - Reno, Nev.

    Offense: Misprision of a felony; 18 U.S.C. § 4.

    Sentence: Dec. 20, 1995; Eastern District of Louisiana; one year of probation, $5,000 fine.

  • Richard Harold Miller - Tallahassee, Fla.

    Offense: Conspiracy to defraud the United States; 18 U.S.C. § 371.

    Sentence: April 13, 1993; Northern District of Florida; five years of probation, $10,000 fine.

  • Delano Abraham Nixon - Neosho Rapids, Kan.

    Offense: Forging the endorsement on a U.S. Treasury check; 18 U.S.C. § 495.

    Sentence: Feb. 2, 1962; District of Kansas; three years of probation conditioned upon payment of restitution.

  • John H. Overholt - Black Hawk, S.D.

    Offense: Concealment of information affecting Social Security benefits; 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(4).

    Sentence: Feb. 2, 1998; District of South Dakota; two years of probation, $1,500 fine, $10,620 restitution.

  • Morris Keith Parker - Georgetown, S.C.

    Offense: Misprision of a felony; 18 U.S.C. § 4.

    Sentence: Oct. 2, 1991; District of South Carolina; three years of probation conditioned on performance of 150 hours of community service.

  • Robert Truman Reece - Redondo Beach, Calif.

    Offense: 1 and 2. Unauthorized absence. 3. Unauthorized absence; missing ship's movement.

    Sentence: 1: Oct. 12, 1949; 15 days of confinement, 30 days of extra police duties and forfeiture of $15 pay per month for six months. 2: Nov. 28, 1949; six months of probation. 3: Sept. 21, 1950; forfeiture of $30 pay per month for two months and a bad conduct discharge. 1, 2 and 3: U.S. Navy court-martial.

  • Donald Edward Roessler - Harrison, Ohio

    Offense: Embezzlement of mail matter; 18 U.S.C. § 1709.

    Sentence: April 19, 1971; Southern District of Ohio; two years of probation.

  • Issac Robert Toussie - Brooklyn, N.Y.

    Offense: False statements to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 18 U.S.C. § 1001; mail fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1341.

    Sentence: Sept. 22, 2003; Eastern District of New York; five months in prison, three years of supervised release conditioned on five months of home detention, $10,000 fine.

  • Charles Thompson Winters - Miami

    Offense: Conspiracy to export, and exportation, of a military aircraft to a foreign country in violation of the Neutrality Act of 1939; 22 U.S.C. § 448(a).

    Sentence: Feb. 4, 1949; Southern District of Florida; 18 months in prison, $5,000 fine.

  • David Lane Woolsey - St. George, Utah

    Offense: Aiding and abetting violation of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act; 16 U.S.C. § 470ee (a) and 18 U.S.C. § 2.

    Sentence: Oct. 6, 1992; District of Utah; three years of probation conditioned on performance of 100 hours of community service.

    COMMUTATION:

  • Reed Raymond Prior - Des Moines, Iowa

    Offense: Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

    Sentence: April 11, 1996; Southern District of Iowa; life in prison, 10 years of supervised release.

    Terms of commutation: Prison sentence to expire on Feb. 23, 2009, leaving intact and in effect the 10-year term of supervised release with all its conditions.
  • Tags:
    pardons ,
    bush
    Topics:
    George W. Bush
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    Add a Comment See all 23 Comments
    by dave_p5 December 24, 2008 8:29 PM EST
    "LMAO! Drives you dumpocraps crazy doesn''t it when you realize what a load of KRAP you bought this election!" - RowdynTex

    No, actually Democrats (and hopefully intelligent Republicans) are glad we get to jettison this Bush 2.0 load of *** for a president in January for someone with a brain.
    Reply to this comment
    by caddillackid December 24, 2008 8:07 PM EST
    They say father knows best...I wish H.W. Bush...his father had warned the world before he was elected. He was the first to say he''d never amount to much...yea he made it to the presidency after years of being a disappointment to his father...somethings just dont change...i bet he still is a disappointment to his dad. Dad avoids the media for this reason...embarrasment! America should have talked to the dad...father know best.
    Reply to this comment
    by caddillackid December 24, 2008 7:42 PM EST
    Bush said when he came into office abviously referring to the Clinton years, "we are a nation that no longer has the motto...if it feels good do it...we are moving toward a nation of people who are accountable." Then the Enron giants fell..ect ect. So now i guess his motto is "if they broke the law, pardon them." Stupid is as stupid does...we all know Bush is not a smart man at all, the world knows this...my 5 year old is far more articulate and could do a better job as commander in chief..hands down! If lack of accoutability was a crime...americans would hang Bush on the national mall. Hell, they should do it anyway...it''s not like he is leading the country anymore anyway...the media is already calling Obama the President. (i smile everytime i think about what republicans say about a black man being put in the most powerful position in the world...that is an unspoken nightmare for them....lol...only after George Bush was that possible...i imagine they want to hang him too...their probably calling him and sending him messages over the internets..yeah i said internets...telling him..."YOU DID THIS, LOOK WHAT YOU DID."
    Reply to this comment
    by bjcone8559 December 24, 2008 4:02 PM EST
    Still waiting for the ''blanket'' warcrimes pardon for administration neocons.

    Be sure to take some old shoes with you to the inaugaration. Let''s give Dubya a fitting send-off.
    Reply to this comment
    by usclimey December 24, 2008 11:58 AM EST
    Good, Dubya! Let ''''em all go! May as well open all the prison doors and let ''''em out!

    If the dumpocraps can foist the biggest CROOK out of the Chicago ghetto on the rest of the population, may as well do them the same favor!

    Posted by RowdynTex

    It must be horrible to go through life with an attitude like yours. Apart from the total lack of IQ all your rants display, you have no clue what you''re talking about. I feel most sorry for your 12 year-old grand-daughter, she certainly doesn''t deserve to have someone as vile, selfish and ignorant as you for a grandmother. UGH!
    Reply to this comment
    by oldpilot954 December 24, 2008 3:14 AM EST
    Yeah -- Bush did not have as many criminal friends and supporters to forgive as Bill Clinton. Never fear though, Obama''s coming!!
    Reply to this comment
    by cattiej December 24, 2008 1:38 AM EST
    Who is going to pardon George Bush? The only one that I can think of is God.
    I hope George Bush doesn''t pardon our former Governor George Ryan here in Illinois. He can serve out his complete sentence and he can have Rod Blagjovich be his roomy.
    Reply to this comment
    by jerr11 December 24, 2008 1:22 AM EST
    With presidents like George W Bushm who needs terrorists to harm Americans!

    The score so far:

    Bin laden - 3000 Dead Americans.

    George W Bush - 4200 Dead Americans and counting!

    Bush wins hands down!!

    Heckuva job!

    Mission Accomplished!

    Reply to this comment
    by jerr11 December 24, 2008 1:19 AM EST
    What a legacy for George W Bush!

    After 8 wonderful years.

    935 Lies.

    4200 Dead Americans.

    $3 trillion squandered in Iraq.

    The nation''s economy decimated!

    Heckuva job!

    Mission Accomplished!!
    Reply to this comment
    by zzy-izzy December 24, 2008 12:42 AM EST
    they are heading for the ranch in Texas to bring old george some good drugs and cut some weeds.
    Reply to this comment
    by spiritwalk December 23, 2008 11:06 PM EST
    Who are these people and how did their names get on the list? They all seem to be just petty little criminals. Why do they get a pardon and not the tens of thousands of others who have done the same thing.
    The interesting thing is not their names or why they deserve pardons, the interesting thing is the name of the person who put up the pardon and why they did it. Maybe they are the ones who need to be on a list.
    Reply to this comment
    by ford555551 December 23, 2008 10:52 PM EST
    Looks like Mr Bush pardoned mostly drug dealers and there is a reason for that and that is he will be out of Job in a month and then he can start his own business using thse dealers.
    Reply to this comment
    by cm5605 December 23, 2008 10:09 PM EST
    What about Campean and Ramos? They shot a drug dealer while he was attempting to evade arrest and they are in prison. These Border Patrol Agents deserve to be pardoned and their records expunged and then re-enstated back to their jobs. We need these guys back on the border.
    Reply to this comment
    by slinginrich December 23, 2008 8:56 PM EST
    Michael Connell,45, of Akron died Friday when his plane crashed near a vacant house in Uniontown while attempting to land at nearby Akron-Canton Airport.

    But the fatal accident is also raising questions about Connell and his work for key political figures and lobbyists, which has targeted him in investigations over missing White House e-mails and a lawsuit alleging electronic voting fraud.

    Following Last Friday''s fatal accident, CBS Affiliate WOIO reported that Connell, who had recently been subpoenaed to testify in relation to a lawsuit alleging vote rigging in the 2004 Ohio election, was warned at least twice about flying his plane because his plane might be sabotaged.....

    The Bush/Cheney Crime Cartel CAN have you wacked....Fugetaboudit...

    Reply to this comment
    by emelder December 23, 2008 8:12 PM EST
    Something is seriously going wrong here. These pardons are a smoke screen for something much bigger being covered up.

    Posted by earache4 at 04:28 PM : Dec 23, 2008

    Something is ALWAYS being covered up by Bush/Cheney ... count on it!
    Reply to this comment
    by emelder December 23, 2008 8:11 PM EST
    Bet he finds a way to issue a PRE-pardon for VP Cheney ... just watch!
    Reply to this comment
    by noloyalisti December 23, 2008 7:44 PM EST
    Does ANYONE doubt these Butch Crime Family gangsters have knocked off the IT guy, also probably Kenny Boy and Paul Wellstone.
    Reply to this comment
    by trapbreaking December 23, 2008 7:11 PM EST
    No football stars? O.J., Vick, Packman? No? Looks like O.J. will have to do the 9 to 33 years, in a 7x9 cell with toilet, sink, bed, writing shelf. That has to be hard to swing a driver or even a sand wedge. Golf game is going to suffer.

    .
    Reply to this comment
    by bobnjersey December 23, 2008 7:04 PM EST
    [Reed Raymond Prior - Des Moines, Iowa; Offense: Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; 21 U.S.C. ' 841(a)(1); Sentence: April 11, 1996; Southern District of Iowa; life in prison, 10 years of supervised release. ]

    life in prison for possession of meth?

    how many more are there like this individual that didn''t get any special treatment from gwb?
    Reply to this comment
    by brannigon December 23, 2008 6:41 PM EST
    Well, maybe we can see the pardon of those who really were heroes and those that did something with their lives. But why, the pardons for those convicted felons that did not? I guess Bush doesn''t really care because he is on his way out. Nevertheless where does the integrity lie? Why drug dealers and such? This is wrong! America has lost its mind! This nation is being run by nuts and don''t think for one minute anything has changed. We''ll see with time! Why does everyone think that Obama is any different from the rest? He hasn''t proven anything; even when he was in the Senate! Its all been a bunch of good BS and nothing will change but the excuses given and America will still keep bending over and taking it!
    Reply to this comment
    See all 23 Comments

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