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Oliver B.’s Story: Prison Is the Wolf That Scatters Sheep

My brother has served 25 years of a mandatory life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense. John is now 70 years old with no prospects...
John acknowledges that he was wrong by getting involved with drugs and has said that it was something that he is truly ashamed of doing, especially because our mother and father instilled a set of values in each of us. He yearns for an opportunity to get involved with our...
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Cynthia Powell: 25 Years for 35 Pills

Cynthia Powell was not an addict. She was not a dealer. She sold 35 of her diabetes pain pills to a confidential informant—for $300. Just...
“She was never an addict,” says Jackie. “She wasn’t a drug user, or a drug dealer.” She was charged with trafficking in hydrocodone over 28 grams, less than 30 kilos and possession with intent to sell or deliver a legend drug (prescription).
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Calvin Bryant: 17 Years for a First Offense

Beloved by friends, family, teachers, and co-workers, Calvin Bryant is now serving 17 years for a first-time offense. His sentence was grossly enhanced by Tennessee’s...
Life delivered him a harsh blow, in the form of a government informant. This person, a longtime family friend, pressured Calvin repeatedly to get ecstasy pills for him. He played on Calvin’s sympathies, telling Calvin that he needed the drugs to make money to feed his family.
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The Story of Mandy Martinson

Mandy Martinson was serving 15 years in federal prison for helping her dealer-boyfriend in exchange for feeding her methamphetamine addiction. Mandy’s judge, unable to go...
the judge was forced to give Mandy a mandatory minimum of 10 years for the conspiracy and possession charges, and a mandatory five-year consecutive term for the gun charge, for a total sentence of 15 years behind bars.
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Oliver B.’s Story: Prison Is the Wolf That Scatters Sheep

My brother has served 25 years of a mandatory life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense. John is now 70 years old with no prospects of being released. The impact of outdated sentencing laws is not only tying the hands...Read More
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Issue: Sentencing

Cynthia Powell: 25 Years for 35 Pills

Cynthia Powell was not an addict. She was not a dealer. She sold 35 of her diabetes pain pills to a confidential informant—for $300. Just enough to make ends meet that month. Next thing she knew, she was arrested, charged,...Read More
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Issue: Sentencing

John Hise

John received a 10-year sentence for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Although his role was limited to facilitating the movement of red phosphorus, a chemical used in the production of methamphetamine, John received a longer sentence than...Read More
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Issue: Federal

Celestia Mixon

Celestia began using drugs at a young age to cope with her father’s abusive behavior. She turned to selling meth to feed her addiction and was indicted for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth while in possession of a...Read More
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Issue: Sentencing

Paul Fields

Categorized as a “Career Offender” because of prior nonviolent offenses, Paul Fields was sentenced to 15½ in federal prison on one count of growing marijuana. Happily, his sentence was commuted by President Obama in December 2016. He will be released in the fall...Read More
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Issue: Clemency

Melissa Trigg

Melissa Trigg received a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and an additional five-year mandatory minimum sentence for possessing a gun at the same time.Read More
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Issue: Drug-free school zone law

My Story: Veda A.

Robert has much to offer society, if given the opportunity. Read More
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Issue: Federal

Atiba Parker

Atiba was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at age 24 and started selling small amounts of crack so he could purchase marijuana for self-medication. He is serving a 42-year prison sentence for two counts of sale of cocaine and one count...Read More
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Issue: State

Michael Keating

In 2007, Michael was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison for manufacturing a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine. He’d allowed an acquaintance to cook methamphetamine on his property, and although the wastewater that police found contained less than...Read More
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Issue: Clemency