Becky Pringle, President of the largest labor union, the National Education Association (NEA), appeared on Make It Plain with Reverend Mark Thompson to demand...

By April Ryan “A complex reality” is being overlooked by President Donald Trump, with his Friday proposal to send the U.S. military into Nigeria over...

Reverend Crystal Bates is now the Texas NAACP’s assistant secretary. Rev. Bates who is also vice chair of the Environmental & Climate Justice Committee...

People in the News

Thursday, November 6, 2025

People in the News

Thursday, November 6, 2025

Dallas man’s sentence commuted by President Obama

After over 20 years for a first time offense, Donel Marcus Clark's sentence was commuted by President Obama (Image: FAMM.org)
After over 20 years for a first time offense, Donel Marcus Clark’s sentence was commuted by President Obama (Image: FAMM.org)

On March 31, President Barack Obama granted commutation of sentence to 22 individuals.

The President granted commutations of sentence to the following 22 individuals:

  • Terry Andre Barnes – East Moline, Illinois

    Offense:  Conspiracy to distribute cocaine base; supervised release violation (distribution of cocaine base) (Southern District of Iowa)

    Sentence:  246 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (July 25, 2005)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Theresa Brown – Pompano Beach, Florida

    Offense:  Conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine (Southern District of Florida)

    Sentence:  Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Mar. 29, 1995)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

 

  • Donel Marcus Clark – Dallas, Texas

    Offense:  Conspiracy; use of a communication facility (five counts); distribution and/or possession of cocaine or manufacturing in or near a school facility, aiding and abetting (Northern District of Texas)

    Sentence:  420 months’ imprisonment; four years’ supervised release (Nov. 12, 1993); amended to 360 months’ imprisonment (Aug. 20, 2008)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Ricky Bernard Coggins – Tallahassee, Florida

    Offense:  Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base (Northern District of Florida)

    Sentence:  Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (May 3, 1993)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Samuel Pasqual Edmondson – Junction City, Kansas

    Offense:  Conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (Eastern District of Texas)

    Sentence:  Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Sep. 24, 1997)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Amado Garcia – Fresno, California

    Offense:  Conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine; aiding and abetting the possession of methamphetamine; aiding and abetting the possession of heroin (District of Wyoming)

    Sentence:  240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release; $2,000 fine (Nov. 29, 2001)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Dwight Anthony Goddard – Decatur, Georgia

Offense:  Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (Middle District of Georgia)

Sentence:  235 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (Feb. 7, 2002)

Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Lionel Ray Hairston – Ridgeway, Virginia

    Offense:  Distribution of cocaine base (three counts) (Western District of Virginia)

    Sentence:  262 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release (May 27, 1999)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Francis Darrell Hayden – Loretto, Kentucky

    Offense:  Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants or 1,000 or more kilograms of marijuana; manufacture of 1,000 or more marijuana plants (Eastern District of Michigan)

    Sentence:  Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Apr. 2, 2002)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Harold Kenneth Herring – Havana, Florida

    Offense:  Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (Northern District of Florida)

    Sentence:  Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Jan. 22, 1998)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Tommie Lee Hollingshed – Memphis, Tennessee

    Offense:  Distribution of a controlled substance (two counts) (Western District of Tennessee)

    Sentence:  324 months’ imprisonment; four years’ supervised release (May 1, 1996)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Derrick DeWayne Johnson – Birmingham, Alabama

    Offense:  Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine; possession with intent to distribute cocaine (Northern District of Alabama)

    Sentence:  360 months’ imprisonment; four years’ supervised release (Nov. 18, 1998)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to a term of 262 months.

  • Robert Martinez-Gil – San Antonio, Texas

    Offense:  Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin (Western District of Texas)

    Sentence:  Life imprisonment (July 9, 1992)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • David Navejar – Brooksville, Florida

    Offense:  Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (Middle District of Florida)

    Sentence:  240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Jan. 27, 2003)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Rudolph Norris – Washington, D.C.

    Offense:  Unlawful distribution of cocaine base; unlawful possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of cocaine base (District of Columbia)

    Sentence:  360 months’ imprisonment; eight years’ supervised release (Apr. 5, 1993)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Tracy Lynn Petty – Shelby, North Carolina

    Offense:  Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (Western District of North Carolina)

    Sentence:  240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Mar. 30, 2006); amended to 204 months’ imprisonment (Feb. 25, 2008)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Luis Razo – Davenport, Iowa

    Offense:  Conspiracy to distribute cocaine (Southern District of Iowa)

    Sentence:  240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Jan. 3, 2003)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Antwon Rogers – Cleveland, Ohio

    Offense:  Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 139.8 grams of cocaine base (Northern District of Ohio)

    Sentence:  Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Jan. 30, 1995)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Herman Rosenboro –Kingsport, Tennessee

    Offense:  Conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine and over 50 grams of cocaine base; distribution of a quantity of cocaine base (two counts); distribution of a quantity of cocaine (two counts)  (Eastern District of Tennessee)

    Sentence:  Life imprisonment; six years’ supervised release (Dec. 3, 2001)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Lawrence Elmo Scott – Lynchburg, Virginia

    Offense:  Distribution of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school (Western District of Virginia)

    Sentence:  283 months’ imprisonment; six years’ supervised release; $4,000 fine (Apr. 8, 2003)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Levar V. Wade – Chicago, Illinois

    Offense:  Possession of 50 or more grams of crack cocaine with intent to distribute (Central District of Illinois)

    Sentence:  240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (May 28, 2004)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.

  • Eugene Winters – Cedar Rapids, Iowa

    Offense:  Conspiracy to distribute cocaine base (Southern District of Iowa)

    Sentence:  240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (Feb. 23, 2005)

    Commutation Grant:  Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 28, 2015.