Obama commutes sentences of five Tennesseans; grants pardons to two

President Barack Obama commuted the sentences Monday of five Tennesseans jailed on drug-related charges and pardoned two others convicted of non-violent crimes, reports Michael Collins.

In all, Obama commuted the sentences of 153 people across the country, including Rodney Bates of Milan, Amilcar Butler of Nashville, Joseph Lee Gulledge Jr. of Chattanooga, Kari Nicole Parks of Bristol and Timothy Orlando Rainey of Nashville.

Seventy-eight others received presidential pardons, including Kenneth Shannon Meadows of Celina and Allen Thompson Sherwood of Ooltewah.

The White House press release is HERE. Below is a cut-and-paste of information provided therein on each of the Tennesseans.

Rodney Bates – Milan, TN

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute 24.1 grams of cocaine base; Western District of Tennessee

Sentence: 188 months’ imprisonment; four years’ supervised release (August 10, 2006)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 31, 2017.

 

Amilcar Butler – Nashville, TN

Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; attempt to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine; Middle District of Tennessee

Sentence: Life imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (July 26, 2004)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 240 months’ imprisonment.

 

Joseph Lee Gulledge, Jr. – Chattanooga, TN

Offense: Possession with intent to distribute fifty grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base; Eastern District of Tennessee.

Sentence: 120 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (April 6, 2009)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on April 18, 2017.

 

Kari Nicole Parks – Bristol, TN

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and oxycontin; Western District of Virginia

Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release (September 9, 2010)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment, conditioned upon enrollment in residential drug treatment.

 

Timothy Orlando Rainey – Nashville, TN

Offense: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana (two counts); Southern District of Alabama

Sentence: 300 months’ imprisonment; five years’ supervised release (June 21, 1995)

Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to a term of 235 months’ imprisonment.

 

Pardons

Kenneth Shannon Meadows, aka Kenny Shannon Meadows – Celina, TN

Offense:  Manufacture, assemble, modify, sell and distribute electronic devices for the unauthorized decryption of direct-to-home satellite television services (Western District of Kentucky)

Sentence:  Three years’ probation, conditioned upon six months’ home confinement; $36,424 restitution (August 25, 2003)

 

Allen Thompson Sherwood – Ooltewah, TN

Offense:  Conduct unbecoming an officer (shoplifting) (United States Air Force general court-martial convened at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana)

Sentence:  Dismissal from service; four months’ confinement; forfeiture of $500 pay per month for four months; $5,000 fine (January 24, 1990)