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Presidential Pardons Granted

The president doesn't need the help of Congress, at least, to grant pardons to the following seventeen individuals who were jailed for a series of various malfeasance.

A presidential has the unique ability to override the justice system, release anyone he chooses from paying a fine, and return a person to the state of innocence that person had before he ever committed a wrong doing, without providing a reason for his decisions.

Unlike the current administration's predecessor,who pardoned Scotter Libby, there are no persons in this year's list who were tried and convicted of perjury, or obstruction of justice.

Most of the offenders on this year's list weren't serving serious jail time, and were already on probation. 

Some have already asked if much thought went into the selection of the individuals since there are many individuals who sit on death row in several states across the country who may never again see the light of day for a crime they never committed. 

Also questioned is if the president considered the disparity of citizens of color who continue to receive excessive jail time compared to Caucasians who receive less jail time for the same crimes committed.

The 2013 pardoners include individuals from various states, notably the state of Illinois (two), and one person from Hawaii.



Wrongly convicted individual, Lawrence Garrison, speaks on being falsely imprisioned.

  • Robert Leroy Bebee –Rockville, Maryland.
    Offense: Misprision of a felony, 18 U.S.C. § 4.Sentence: Two years probation.

  • James Anthony Bordinaro –Gloucester, Massachusetts.
    Offenses: Conspiracy to restrain, suppress, and eliminate competition in violation of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1; conspiracy to submit false statements, 18 U.S.C. § 371. Sentence: 12 months imprisonment, three years supervised release and a $55,000 fine.
 
  • Kelli Elisabeth Collins –Harrison, Arkansas. Offense: Aiding and abetting a wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 2. Sentence: Five years probation.
  • Edwin Hardy Futch, Jr. –Pembroke, Georgia. Offense: Theft from an interstate shipment, 18 U.S.C. §§ 659, 2. Sentence: Five years probation, $2,399.72 restitution.         
  • Cindy Marie Griffith –Moyock, North Carolina. Offense: Distribution of satellite cable television decryption devices, 47 U.S.C. § 605(e)(4), 18 U.S.C. § 2. Sentence: Two years probation with 100 hours of community service.           
  • Roy Eugene Grimes, Sr. –Athens, Tennessee. Offenses: Falsely altering a United States postal money order, 18 U.S.C. § 500; passing, uttering, and publishing a forged and altered money order with intent to defraud,18 U.S.C. § 500. Sentence: 18 months probation.           
  • Jon Christopher Kozeliski –Decatur, Illinois. Offense: Conspiracy to traffic counterfeit goods, 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 2320. Sentence: One year of probation with six months of home confinement, $10,000 fine.
 
  • · Jimmy Ray Mattison –Anderson, South Carolina. Offenses: Conspiracy to transport and cause the transportation of altered securities in interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 2314; transporting and causing the transportation of altered securities in interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2314, 2.Sentence: Three years probation.
  • An Na Peng –Honolulu, Hawaii. Offense: Conspiracy to defraud the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 18 U.S.C. § 371.Sentence: Two years probation, $2,000 fine.
  • Michael John Petri –Montrose, South Dakota. Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance (cocaine), 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a), 846.Sentence: Five years imprisonment, three years supervised release.        
  • Karen Alicia Ragee –Decatur, Illinois.Offense: Conspiracy to traffic counterfeit goods, 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 2320. Sentence: One year of probation with six months of home confinement, $2,500 fine.
  • Jamari Salleh –Alexandria, Virginia. Offense: False claims upon and against the United States, 18 U.S.C. §§ 287, 2. Sentence: Four years probation, $5,000 fine, $5,900 restitution.
  • Alfor Sharkey –Omaha, Nebraska. Offense: Unauthorized acquisition of food stamps, 7 U.S.C. § 2024(b)(1). Sentence: Three years probation with 100 hours of community service, $2,750 restitution.
  • Donald Barrie Simon, Jr. –Chattanooga, Tennessee. Offense: Aiding and abetting in the theft of an interstate shipment, 18 U.S.C. §§ 659, 2. Sentence: Two years imprisonment, three years probation.
  • Lynn Marie Stanek –Tualatin, Oregon. Offense: Unlawful use of a communication facility to distribute cocaine, 21 U.S.C. § 843(b). Sentence: Six months in jail, five years probation conditioned on residence in a community treatment center for a period not to exceed one year.
  • Larry Wayne Thornton –Forsyth, Georgia.Offense: Possession of an unregistered firearm, 26 U.S.C. §§ 5861(d), 5871; possession of a firearm without a serial number, 26 U.S.C. §§ 5861(i), 5871.Sentence: Four years probation.
  • Donna Kaye Wright –Friendship, Tennessee. Offense: Embezzlement and misapplication of bank funds, 18 U.S.C. § 656. Sentence: 54 days imprisonment, three years probation conditioned on performance of six hours of community service per week.
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