A Southern California man is free from prison Aug. 10 after President Obama commuted his 15-years-to-life sentence for a 2006 non-violent drug offense.
According to KABC ABC 7 News, Keldren Joshua pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine back in 2006. The crime originally carried a minimum sentence of 10 years, but Joshua received 15-to-life because of traffic offenses.
The young man called his mother Aug. 3 to inform her that he would be released early.
Under the Obama Administration, hundreds of first-time offenders had their sentences commuted in recent years to put an end to mass incarceration in the country. Joshua was released yesterday from the Terminal Island facility.
“Keldren never been to jail, never shot anybody, killed anybody, raped anybody,” his mother, Cheryl Shiver explains. “What’s his criminal history? Well, when he was arrested he had outstanding traffic warrants.”
His family greeted him at the gates with open arms, smiles and joy.
“It was on my birthday when I got the call. … All I said when I picked up the phone was: ‘Did you get it? Did you get it? Did you get it?’ And he was just laughing,” Shiver tells reporters. “He said yes and I just screamed at the top of my lungs.”
