WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two Davenport men are among the latest to have their sentences commuted by President Barack Obama.
The White House announced another 72 commutations on Friday, Nov. 4. This brings the total commuted by Obama this year– the vast majority of which are for non-violent drug offenses – to 760, the most in one year by any president.
Obama has long called for phasing out strict sentences for drug offenses, arguing they lead to excessive punishment and incarceration rates unseen in other developed countries.
The pair from Davenport are:
- Justin L. Border, who was sentenced in 2003 to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute drugs and felon in possession of a firearm. He is now scheduled for release in 2017.
- Leonel C. Vela, who was sentenced in 2003 to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He is now scheduled for release in 2017.
