An Allentown man’s drug sentence was commuted after Biden offers clemency and pardons for those in prison for cocaine, crack

After he was sentenced to prison in 2012 for distributing drugs, an Allentown man was supposed to remain behind bars until 2033.

But a recent round of pardons, announced by the Biden administration on Friday, means that Angel Rosario and 10 other people nationwide serving time on drug-related offenses will soon be released from custody.

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he was offering clemency for those serving disproportionately long sentences for nonviolent drug offenses, people who would have received “significantly lower” judgments had they been tried today due to reforms.

The move follows a sweeping round of federal pardons for drug-related offenses issued during Biden’s tenure. Last year, the president pardoned thousands of people convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law.

“America was founded on the principle of equal justice under law,” Biden said Friday. “Elected officials on both sides of the aisle, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, and law enforcement leaders agree that our criminal justice system can and should reflect this core value that makes our communities safer and stronger.”

This round of clemency offerings are notable in that their recipients’ convictions all stem from charges relating to methamphetamines, cocaine, and cocaine base, or crack. Some people on the list were serving sentences that were twice as long as they would have been given today, a White House official said.

And those convicted of crack cocaine possession, like Rosario, ended up facing a harsher sentence for a powder cocaine charge, a sentencing disparity that the White House said is not supported by science but racist practices, and one Biden supports eliminating.

Rosario was 25 when he was arrested in Allentown for dealing crack and cocaine, including three charges for selling the narcotics within 1,000 feet of a public school.

He was one of 14 people arrested by a team of federal and local law enforcement for dealing narcotics around Second Street, known to investigators as “The Ward.”

A statement from federal investigators said the area had been “plagued by violence and drug trafficking” before the sweeping bust. Depending on their charges, the Allentown defendants faced between 20 years to life, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Rosario was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months of imprisonment to be followed by eight years of supervised release, as well as a $2,500 fine.

Rosario’s sentence will now end on April 20, according to the White House. He will still face the supervision period after his release.

In addition to the 11 clemency offerings, Biden pardoned thousands more who were convicted of use and simple possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia, the White House said Friday, a move that aids those with convictions in their pursuit of housing, employment, and education.

Still, most marijuana convictions occur at the state level, and no offenders sentenced solely for the possession of marijuana remain in federal custody. Biden has since called on governors to vacate sentences of some local offenders, while urging health officials and the Justice Department to reconsider how marijuana is classified by law.

While 19 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for adult use, it remains an illegal substance in Pennsylvania, outside of medical purposes.

Before his departure last year, Gov. Tom Wolf launched an effort to pardon those with minor cannabis convictions. More than 2,600 people with convictions submitted applications to the Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Project, though a vast majority were denied by the Board of Pardons for failing to meet its requirements.

Josh Shapiro — then Pennsylvania’s Attorney General campaigning to become governor — suggested in a 2022 message on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that Pennsylvania should legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana. That message was followed by a post that said: “But let me be clear: legalization must include expungement for those serving time for possessing small amounts of marijuana.”

Later that year, in response to Biden’s call, the then-attorney general said he had coordinated a onetime, large-scale pardon for those with similar offenses.

Biden indicated on Friday that his administration would continue to pursue drug-related pardons.

“ … while today’s announcement marks important progress, my Administration will continue to review clemency petitions and deliver reforms that advance equal justice, address racial disparities, strengthen public safety, and enhance the well-being of all Americans,” Biden said.