CHICAGO (AP) - President Barack Obama has commuted prison sentences of five Illinoisans, including three serving life terms for drug crimes.
The Illinois inmates were among 61 drug offenders whose sentences Obama commuted Wednesday. One of the inmates, Jesse Webster of Chicago, is serving a life term for intent to sell cocaine and filing false tax returns. Webster is to be released Sept. 26.
The two others serving life sentences are Larry Nokes of Quincy and Ismael Rosa of Chicago. Nokes is to be released July 28 and Rosa next March.
Obama also commuted the 30-year sentence of Jose Ramon Rivera of Chicago on heroin counts. Rivera will be released July 28. Ernest Spiller of East St. Louis will be released July 28 too. He faced nearly 30 years for crack cocaine and firearms convictions.
