CONSTITUENT STORIES

On July 28, 2017, Christopher was sentenced a mandatory 30 years by the state of Mississippi for possession of marijuana. He was given one 24-year sentence for possession of marijuana and a 6 year enhancement due to prior marijuana convictions. He was convicted as a nonviolent habitual offender. Christopher's tentative release date is set for July 2046.

Kevin Allen is currently serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole in Louisiana after he was convicted of selling $20 worth of marijuana. Kevin was found guilty by a split jury on March 18, 2014. Initially sentenced to 10 years imprisonment of hard labor for each count, the state filed for an enhancement of punishment under the state’s habitual offender statutes. Because he had previous drug charges, Kevin was then resentenced to life imprisonment without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, even though he had never been convicted of any violent crimes.

Edwin Rubis has served 23 years of a 40 year sentence for a victimless cannabis offense. After overcoming his struggle with addiction, Edwin has taken numerous steps to better himself while incarcerated. He graduated from college with a degree in Religious Education and serves as a mentor to others. He is also working as a G.E.D. and E.S.L. tutor in the education department. With the support of LPP's scholarship program, Edwin recently received his Master's degree in counseling and now hopes to pursue a Doctorate. President Biden has the authority to grant clemency to any and all cannabis prisoners incarcerated in federal prison, including Edwin. Please click to sign our petition to help RIGHT this wrong. 

The 25-year old husband and father of a two-year old son is currently serving a 12 year sentence for a marijuana offense. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began he has been unable to see his family and communication is very restricted. When he was incarcerated his son had just turned a year old, and now he has missed half of his lifetime due to his harsh sentence.

Mohamed Taher  was sentenced to 25 years in prison for selling cannabis. He has served over 7 years, despite the fact that he was operating in states that have completely legalized or decriminalized cannabis. He was incarcerated soon after his marriage. His wife says his incarceration has kept them from starting their own family. Not only has our "justice" system taken Moe's life, but it has stripped his entire family of a future. Please click to sign our petition to help RIGHT this wrong. 

Alexander Bautista is currently serving a 20 year sentence in the state of Michigan, a now recreationally legal state, for a nonviolent cannabis crime. He is not expected to be released until 2036.

Ricardo Ashmeade is currently serving a 22 year sentence for a victimless cannabis offense. He has been in prison since 2006 (17 years). Despite a reclassification of a California conviction from a felony to a misdemeanor, the federal courts have refused to resentence him. Ricardo is the proud father of 4 children. He is hopeful to be released to his loving family. Ricardo's daughter Richeda considers her father to be her best friend.  She is an award winning spoken word artist who is currently attending law school in Atlanta. Her father has been in prison since she was 12 years old. 

LPP constituent Rafael Hernandez-Carrillo was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for conspiracy to distribute cannabis as well as continuing a criminal enterprise.⁣

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For the last 14 years, he has maintained a spotless record and completed more than 47 educational and therapeutic programs in an effort to better himself and support other inmates.⁣

In 2018, Rudi Gammo was sentenced to 5.5 years in state prison. His crime? Operating a city of Detroit-sanctioned medical dispensary, and allowing the caregivers who supplied the dispensary with medical marijuana to cultivate the plant in his homes.​ Thanks to your tireless advocacy and support, Rudi Gammo’s clemency application is under consideration by the relevant state authorities. Now, we need you to call on Governor Whitmer to use her clemency power to expedite Rudi’s release. Click to learn more and take action.

Horacio Raul Estrada-Elias was granted compassionate release after serving 13 years of a life sentence for cannabis.⁣ At 90 years old, Horacio is in poor health but is very much looking forward to spending his final years at home with his sister and children.⁣

On June 14, 2016, an Oakland County Circuit Court judge sentenced Maurice to three to fifteen years behind bars after pleading guilty to manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance–5 or less kilograms of cannabis or fewer than 20 plants, a felony under Michigan state law. 40-year-old Maurice Shumate was released from Cooper Street Correctional Facility in Jackson, Michigan on February 23, 2022. After six years from the time of Maurice’s non-violent cannabis “offense,” Maurice will finally see freedom. However, he will still be subject to ongoing supervision by the state of Michigan for what could be several years to come. Click to learn more.

Michael Thompson served over 25 years in Michigan prison for a nonviolent marijuana offense. In January 2020, pro bono attorney Kimberly Corrall submitted Michael's petition for clemency. Nearly a year to the day later, after hundreds of thousands of calls, emails, letters of support from the community, elected officials, and Attorney General Dana Nessel, Governor Whitmer granted Michael's request for commutation. In the early hours of January 28th, at 4am, Michael Thompson was released from prison in Jackson, Michigan – and reunited with his family and loved ones that he hadn’t seen in over 25 years. 

We are thrilled that Michael is able to reunite with his family, including two daughters, and grandchildren that he is getting to meet for the first time. Through the LPP support fund Michael was able to cover costs associated with securing long term housing, a new wardrobe, and transportation.

In 2013, Corvain received a life sentence without parole after a “third strike” for his participation in a cannabis distribution operation. Despite the relatively minor offense, he was effectively “buried alive” at a federal prison in Louisiana, apart from his wife and two children for something that was increasingly becoming legalized across the country. Through his years in prison, activists and voters continued the campaign to relax cannabis laws across the U.S. and Corvain finally, and fortunately, with the help of LPP received a grant of executive clemency from Donald Trump in his final days as President of The United States of America in 2021. Corvain Cooper is Brand Ambassador at 40 Tons, a Black, woman-owned premium cannabis, clothing, and accessories brand from Los Angeles, California. Corvain is an avid public speaker, activist and advocate for bringing awareness to 40 Tons and the causes it serves. 

On January 20th, LPP constituent Gerald "Jerry" Lee Duval was released from prison after serving his entire 10-year sentence for cannabis. Michigan law allows a marijuana caregiver to grow up to 72 plants for 5 registered patients. Jerry Duval had two greenhouses on his property, run by his two children who were registered as caregivers and served 5 patients each — one of whom was Jerry. Jerry, whose juvenile diabetes led to both a kidney and pancreas transplant, also lives with glaucoma and neuropathy. He has a strict medical regime, which prior to his arrest, had included medical marijuana. While we are relieved that Jerry is now home, the fact remains that he — and his family — lost 10 years while others freely profited from the same actions.

In 2008, Ferrell Scott was sentenced to life in prison without parole for conspiracy to distribute cannabis. A single working dad — and the breadwinner of his family — Ferrell had resorted to selling marijuana to make ends meet.⁣ After serving 13 years in federal prison he was awarded clemency in 2021. Now, he’s rebuilding his life working at his brother’s restaurant, with hopes of starting a new business and buying a home.⁣ His sentencing led to a number of collateral consequences for him and his family, specifically the loss of his home, which was foreclosed on when he went to prison. 

In 2019, Shara Cumins and Lieutenant Hostick—a married couple and parents of two children—were convicted of marijuana distribution and sent to federal prison. When Shara was released from prison in April of 2021, (Lieutenant will be released from prison early next year), she immediately started working. However, with no assets to her name Shara found it incredibly difficult to provide for her family.

The Last Prisoner Project was able to assist with rental payments on Shara's trailer home, as well as paying for her children's beds and other essential home

furnishings. The Last Prisoner Project is grateful to the donors who made it possible for us to help this young family rebuild their lives after undergoing the emotional and financial devastation that is parental incarceration.

"My father was arrested in 2018 for marijuana distribution charges and was sentenced for 12 years. My father has been in and out of prison for marihuana charges my whole life. I am now 19 years old and go to college at Northern Kentucky University. My hometown is Strasburg, Virginia which is about 8 hours away. At home, I live with my mother and my great-grandmother. My mother is unemployed and is my great-grandma's caregiver. The traveling expenses are hard because of how far I live from home. Every holiday I struggle to find the money to be able drive or fly home. I’m so very grateful for the LPP grant that I received. This is going to help me out so much these upcoming months with going home to see my family. It will also help me with paying for my school supplies and books. Thank you for your

generous support. I am exceedingly grateful."

In 1999, Anthony Kelly was convicted of trafficking 38 grams of marijuana and sentenced to life imprisonment in a Louisiana state prison. Mercifully, a court reduced Anthony's sentence and he was released from prison earlier this year. Upon release, Anthony—who had nothing to his name—went to live with 75-year- old mother. Only a few months later, a hurricane struck... rendering their shared home virtually inhabitable.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Last Prisoner Project was able to help Anthony buy a car, as well as provide for some of his family's essential needs in the weeks immediately following the storm. Immediately after he finishes healing from a recent spinal surgery, Anthony plans to

reenter the workplace.

In 2006, Michael Pelletier was convicted of importing marijuana and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Michael, who has been confined to a wheelchair since he was 14 years old, had been using cannabis to treat his pain. In 2021, Michael was granted clemency. His brother took him in and LPP provided funds for him to buy a bed, laptop computer, clothes, and more. 

However, Michael's disability made it impossible for him to use the bathroom without assistance. Thanks to the generosity of donors, LPP was able to hire contractors to make the bathroom wheelchair accessible. Having access to an ADA-compliant restroom has tremendously improved Michael's quality of life.

Maria Kinsey and Colby Standley—a married couple with young children—were convicted of marijuana trafficking and sentenced to years in a Florida prison. Maria and Colby's parents, who have been caring for their daughter Skye during her parents incarceration, were laid off from work during the COVID-19 pandemic and found themselves struggling to provide for Skye. The Last Prisoner Project has helped pay for medical insurance, Skye's school, as well as other basic childcare expenses. Colby will leave prison in fall of 2022, and Maria in 2023. We're excited that Skye will be reunited with her parents soon.

In 2006, Michael Knight was convicted of marijuana distribution and sentenced to 262 months in federal prison. In September, Michael's "good time" credits allowed him to transfer to a halfway house, where he will serve the remaining eight months of his sentence. 

The reentry funds Last Prisoner Project has provided Michael have allowed him to pay for school, a driver's license, a used truck, and well as eye contacts.   Were it not for this support, Michael—who left prison with nothing—is confident he would not be on his current path to success.