Bush Grants 19 More Pardons
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, as the Associated Press notes.
Two of those pardoned were convicted of marijuana distribution, while the commutation came in the case of an Iowa resident given life in prison 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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Offense: Embezzlement of mail matter; 18 U.S.C. § 1709.
Sentence: April 19, 1971; Southern District of Ohio; two years of probation.
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.
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.
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:
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.