Firearm Leniency in Commutations?

by
posted on August 5, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
gsagi2015_fs.jpg

Nearly one out of every four felons on the administration’s list of 214 commuted criminal sentences was incarcerated, in part, due to gun-related charges. A White House statement, however, claims most are non-violent and the victims of heavy-handed drug charges.

The “leniency” comes at a time when the administration continues to restrict the gun rights of lawful citizens. The list of people now due for release on Dec. 1 highlights the mixed signals this move sends. Eight of those going free were serving life sentences—partly imposed because they were found guilty of being convicted felons in possession of a firearm/ammunition.

Admittedly, there was no violent encounter when one of them got his U-Haul truck stuck in a ditch, and law enforcement discovered it was carrying 21 barrels (as in large drums) of ephedrine—one of the ingredients required to cook meth. A pair of subsequent search warrants on his property, however, uncovered multiple firearms, ammunition, a bulletproof vest, drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Another to be released was buying meth in California and bringing it back home for distribution. To improve his profit margin, he added filler to the product he decided to traffic around his local distributor. Ultimately he was caught, along with gun(s). His denied appeal claims he never actually had physical possession of a firearm, although an undercover officer testified he willingly flashed a .32 ACP handgun during a transaction.

In all eight of the cases, they’d already been convicted of a felony, and had permanently lost their right to firearms. The convictions are eerily similar in the manner in which they provide a drug laundry list that includes cocaine, crack, heroin and meth. In the mix of those to be released is at least one stolen firearm, filed serial numbers and the common thread among the soon-to-be-free is convicted felon in possession of a gun/ammunition.

 

Latest

Ruger LC Carbine In 10 mm Auto
Ruger LC Carbine In 10 mm Auto

Review: Ruger LC Carbine In 10 mm Auto

Following the success of its .45 ACP-chambered LC Carbine, Ruger realized that this platform would go a long way toward making the 10 mm Auto more controllable and fun to shoot, and a new 10 mm version was released in 2024.

The Armed Citizen® July 14, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Favorite Firearms: A Little Stevens From Chicago

"Over the next five or six years, and before I went off to college, I fired hundreds and hundreds of rounds of .22 BB Caps, CB Caps, Shorts and Longs through this rifle."

Preview: Strike Industries T-Bone Charging Handle

The T-Bone from Strike Industries is an ideal fit for suppressed applications, as it can be configured by the user to redirect gas blowback entirely to either side ...

New For 2025: Weatherby Model 307 Range XP 2.0 & Alpine ST Rifles

Weatherby's Model 307 bolt-action rifle opens up a world of aftermarket components to consumers, thanks to its Model 700 receiver footprint, and the company now has two new models for hunters and sport shooters.

Preview: Thunderbolt To The Rebels | The United States Sharpshooters In The Civil War

Author Darin Wipperman provides a tantalizing glimpse into the world of Berdan’s sharpshooters during the American Civil War.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.