WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama granted 111 commutations to federal inmates Tuesday, including a prisoner originally from Dermott, the White House said.
Clarence Douglas Coakley was convicted in 1996 of possessing and "knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully distributing" crack cocaine in North Carolina, according to court records.
Because of the large amount of drugs involved -- more than 1.5 kilograms -- and Coakley's leadership role in the criminal enterprise, he received an enhanced penalty.
Coakley was sentenced to life plus 30 years to be followed by 10 years' supervised release, the White House said. Obama shortened his sentence to 30 years, but left the supervised release in place.
Prosecutors alleged that Coakley had "controlled a significant number of street level dealers," before his arrest, according to court records.
Now 48 years old, Coakley is currently being held at a federal prison in Greenville, Ill., about 50 miles northeast of St. Louis.
Since his incarceration, Coakley has filed numerous lawsuits seeking, without success, to have his sentence tossed out or shortened.
In a motion for a sentence adjustment filed last year, Coakley told a federal judge that he no longer poses a threat to public safety.
"I have spent most of my time of incarceration trying to change my heart, my mind and my total being through religion studies, church attendance, prayer [and] educational programs," he wrote. "My mother died in 2007, but my father is still living, awaiting my release."
Coakley is the latest Arkansan to have his sentence shortened by the president.
Earlier this month, Obama shortened the sentences of 214 other federal prisoners, including at least three from the Natural State.
James McGee of Chidester, Sheldon Paul Mangiapane of Hot Springs and Billy Whitehead of North Little Rock were all serving lengthy sentences for drug-related crimes. All three will be released Dec. 1, the White House said.
In March, Obama commuted the sentence of 72-year-old Kenneth Isaacs of Little Rock, who was serving a 15-year sentence on drug-related crimes.
Obama has now granted commutations to 673 prisoners, more than the previous 10 presidents combined, the White House said.
Metro on 08/31/2016