by BRITNEY TAYLOR
President Barack Obama announced he was cutting 214 federal prisoners sentences short, including three from the tri-state.
Vernon Jones and Amir Morgan of Evansville had their sentences commutated. Jones’ sentence will be up December 1st, while Morgan will be released July 1, 2017.
The sentence for Christopher Heath of Ridgway, Illinois will be up August 3, 2018, if he enrolls in residential drug treatment. Almost all the prisoners were serving time for nonviolent drug offenses.
The commutations bring the total number of sentences Obama has shortened to 562. The White House says that’s more than the past nine presidents combined.
Vernon Jones – Evansville, IN
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute in excess of 50 grams of cocaine base (mixture); distribution of cocaine base (mixture) (two counts); Southern District of Indiana
Sentence: 360 months’ imprisonment; Original Release Date — November 26, 2033 five years’ supervised release (June 9, 2008)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on December 1, 2016.
Jones is currently at Federal Correctional Institute in Milan, Michigan
Amir Morgan – Evansville, IN
Offense: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine (mixture); Southern District of Indiana
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; Original Release Date — July 3, 2023 10 years’ supervised release (December 19, 2007)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on July 1, 2017.
Morgan is currently in FCI Pekin in Pekin, Illinois
Christopher J. Heath – Ridgway, IL
Offense: Conspiracy to manufacture more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine; Southern District of Illinois
Sentence: 240 months’ imprisonment; 10 years’ supervised release; $500 fine (February 24, 2006)
Commutation Grant: Prison sentence commuted to expire on August 3, 2018, conditioned upon enrollment in residential drug treatment.
New Details In Henderson County Deputy Indictment
Harvey “Danny†Sizemore as people call him, is alleged to have sexually abused a female who is mentally disabled. Kentucky State Police is the agency that conducted the investigation into the claims. It turned the case over to a special prosecutor that had a grand jury listen to the evidence.
The grand jury found probable cause to indict Sizemore on 4 sexual abuse allegations. The indictment states the alleged crimes occurred between August 3rd, 2015 and September 23rd, 2015. The indictment additionally states Sizemore touched the female’s breasts and genitals and instructed the woman to touch his genitals.
The deputy is facing one felony and 3 misdemeanors from the alleged crimes including both first and second degree sexual abuse. KSP has been investigating since October, 2015. Sizemore is an 11 year veteran of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy has not been arrested on the charges, an arraignment is set for Tuesday.
