By Guy Page
Then-President Joe Biden on January 17, 2025, three days before Donald Trump was sworn into office, commuted the sentences of 23 drug dealers convicted in U.S. District Court in Vermont and serving time in federal prisons.
The Vermont commutations were part of a single day record of 2500 commutations of federal offenses nationwide, almost all involving cocaine-related drug dealing.
To date, most of President Donald Trump ‘47’s pardons and small handful of commutations have been for people convicted of fraud, other financial crimes, and obstructing access to abortion clinics. A few have been drug-crime related. None are from Vermont.
The commutations occurred when Merritt Garland was Attorney General and head of the U.S. Department of Justice. Thousands of clemency applications are submitted to the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney each year. Many come from people who are in prison and seeking a shorter prison sentence (known as a “commutation”). Others come from people who have completed their sentences and are seeking forgiveness for their offenses (known as a “pardon”). According to the office website, one relevant consideration for clemency is disparity or undue severity of sentence.
“In assessing applications for commutation, the Office considers whether the applicant would likely face a lower sentence under current law and policy. The Office prioritizes recommendations for clemency for individuals serving outdated and overly lengthy terms of imprisonment and who have demonstrated rehabilitation while incarcerated.”
The pardon office offers no explanation for the January 17 commutations. However, remarks attributed to Biden in a White House press release state: “Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes.”
Apart from Todd “Rocky” Jarvis (see John Klar column today), it is not known whether any of the recipients of commuted sentences have been charged with reoffending or have violated any conditions of release. The 23 criminals convicted in a federal court in Vermont and then had their sentences commuted January 17, 2025 are listed below:
| Name | District | Date Sentence Began | Sentence | Offense | Sentence Commuted To |
| Kieta Armstead | District of Vermont Southern District of New York | February 14, 2020 | 10 Years, 2 Months | 21:841(A)(1),(B)(1)(B): POSS W/INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE 28 GRMS ORMORE OF COCAINE BASE 21:841(A)(1),(B)(1)(C):POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE HEROIN **SRV** | March 18, 2025 |
| Kyieem Barnhill-Thomas | District of Vermont | December 02, 2024 | 2 Years, 10 Months | 21:846,841 (A),(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE BASE, FENTANYL, HEROIN (CT. 1). | 20 Months |
| Kareem Campbell | District of Vermont Eastern District of New York | March 29, 2021 | 10 Years | 21:846,841(A)(1),841(B)(1) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE 28 GRAMS OR MORE OF COCAINE BASE CT-1 21:841(A)(1);(B)(1)(C): DISTRIBUTION OF COCAINE BASE CT-2 18:924(C)(1)(A) POSSESION OF A FIREAMR IN FUTHERANCE OF | July 16, 2025 |
| Eric Colson | District of Vermont | November 03, 2023 | 5 Years, 8 Months | 21:846,841(A)(1),(B)(1)(B) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE BASE, 100 GRAMS OR MORE OF HEROIN, 40 GRAMS OF MORE OF FENANYL 18:924(C)(1)(A)(I) POSS. OF A FIREARM IN FURTHERANCE OF DRUG TRAFFICKING | 20 Months |
| Gage Colson | District of Vermont | July 21, 2023 | 2 Years, 11 Months | 21:846,841(A),(B)(1)(B),(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE BASE, 100G OR MORE HEROIN,40G OR MORE FENTANYL | February 17, 2025 |
| Andrew Cruz | District of Massachusetts District of Vermont | May 31, 2018 | 10 Years, 7 Months | 21:841(A)(1), 21:841(B)(1)(C) DISTRIBUTION AND POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE BASE (COUNTS 1 & 2) 21:846, 841(B)(1)(B), 841(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE HEROIN AND 28 GRAMS OR MORE OF COCAINE BASE. (COUNT 1S) 18:924(C)(1)(A) POSSESSION OF A FIREARM IN FURTHERANCE OF A DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME (COUNT 3S) | March 18, 2025 |
| Ronald Harris | District of Vermont | July 17, 2024 | 8 Years, 4 Months | 21:846,841(A),841(B)(1)(B),841(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE BASE, FENTANYL, AND HEROIN | July 16, 2025 |
| Michael Hayes | District of Vermont | May 03, 2022 | 15 Years | 18:924(C)(1)(A)(I),(C)(D)(II) POSS.OF A FIREARM IN FURTHERANCEOF DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME (CT7SS) 21:846,841(B)(1 )(B),(A)(1) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE 28 GRAMS OR MORE OF COCAINE BASE & 500 GRAMS OR MORE OF COCAINE (CT8SS) | July 16, 2025 |
| Kamari Hollis | District of Vermont | February 06, 2024 | 2 Years | 21:841(A)(1) AND 841(B)(1)(C) POSSESSION W/INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE, COCAINE BASE AND FENTANYL | March 18, 2025 |
| Todd Jarvis | District of Vermont District of Maryland | May 01, 2012 | 20 Years, 5 Months | 21:846;841(B)(1)(A);CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE HEROIN AND 280 GRAMS OR MORE OF COCAINE BASE. 26:7203: FAILURE TO FILE TAX 18:111(A)(1) ASSAULT GRAMS OR MORE OF COCAINE BASE. 26:7203: FAILURE TO FILE TAX | July 16, 2025 |
| Jazzmeek Johnson | District of Vermont | May 09, 2023 | 5 Years | 21:841(A)(1),(B)(1)(C) DISTRIBUTION OF COCAINE BASE AND FENTANYL | April 17, 2025 |
| Keven Kenney | District of Vermont | September 10, 2024 | 5 Years, 3 Months | 21:846, 841(A), 841(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE BASE, FENTANYL, AND HEROIN | 20 Months |
| Eddie Melendez | District of Vermont | December 10, 2024 | 5 Years, 8 Months | 21:846, 841(A), 841(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE FENTANYLAND COCAINE BASE | 20 Months |
| Russell Mitchell | District of Vermont | November 04, 2024 | 4 Years, 6 Months | 21:846,841(A)(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE CONTROL SUBSTANCES | 20 Months |
| Edwin Morales | District of Vermont | June 22, 2020 | 9 Years | 21:841(A)(1),(B)(1)(B),846 CTD 100G OR MORE OF HEROIN; 28G OR MORE OF COC BASE; COCAINE; | March 18, 2025 |
| Rafael Ortiz | District of Vermont | March 04, 2024 | 9 Years, 2 Months | 21:841(A),841(B)(1)(C)POSSESSION W/ INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE HEROIN, FENTANYL AND COCAINE BASE. 18:924(C)(1)(A)POSSESSION OF A FIREARM IN FURTHERANCE OF A DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIME. | July 16, 2025 |
| Randy Rivera | District of Vermont District of Massachusetts | February 24, 2014 | 16 Years | 21:846,841(B)(1)(A) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE 280 GRAMS OR MORE-COCAINE BASE-CT1. 18:922(G)(1) FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM AND AMMUNITION MORE-COCAINE BASE-CT1. | March 18, 2025 |
| Raymond Rivera | District of Vermont | June 20, 2023 | 6 Years, 6 Months | 21:841(A)(1),AND 841(B)(1)(C) POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE FENTANYL AND COCAINE 21:846 CD.F CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE DISTRIBUTE FENTANYL AND COCAINE | 40 Months |
| Daniel Ruiz | District of Vermont | May 17, 2023 | 11 Years, 8 Months | 21:841(A),841(B)(1)(C) AND 846 CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE HEROIN, FENTANYL, AND COCAINE BASE | 100 Months |
| Lassine Sangho | District of Vermont | August 05, 2019 | 10 Years | 21:846,841(B)(1)(A)CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE HEROIN & 280 GRAMSOR MORE OF COCAINE BASE (CT.1) | April 17, 2025 |
| Rahsheed Stokes-Johnson | District of Vermont | July 22, 2024 | 2 Years, 6 Months | 21:846,841(A),841(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE BASE, FENTANYL AND HEROIN | 20 Months |
| Shannon Studivant-Barnes | District of Vermont | October 04, 2024 | 2 Years, 6 Months | 21:846,841(A),(B)(1)(C) CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE BASE,FENTANYL, HEROIN | 20 Months |
| Javon Wright | District of Vermont | February 01, 2024 | 3 Years, 4 Months | 21:841(A),841(B)(1)(C) DISTRIBUTION OF COCAINE BASE | February 17, 2025 |