President Barack Obama on Wednesday commuted the life sentence of a major cocaine trafficker who operated out of Akron in the 1990s.
Ervin Darnell Worthy, 51, was expected to spend the rest of his life in federal prison. Instead, he’ll be released on Aug. 3, 2017 — 21 years after he was imprisoned.
Worthy was one of 214 people across the country, including seven out of Ohio, whose sentences were reduced by Obama on Wednesday. Of the 214, 67 were serving life sentences.
According to the White House, Obama has granted 562 commutations, more than the previous nine presidents combined. Wednesday’s commutations also marked the most in a single day since at least 1900.
But the Washington Post noted Obama has issued 70 presidential pardons, fewer than any president dating back to at least William McKinley. While commutations reduce prison sentences, pardons forgive them entirely.
The White House, though, said Obama’s clemency orders will continue.
“Our work is far from over,” his administration said in a news release.
According to court records, Worthy was convicted of conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm with an altered serial number and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
He and an accomplice, Duane “Nip” Guess, were arrested in 1995 as part of a major crackdown on a drug trafficking ring that was shipping cocaine into Ohio from New York. Guess was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was released in August 2012.
Worthy has been trying to end his stay in prison since 1997, according to records.
In 2009, he attempted to earn a presidential pardon by way of a Change.org petition. A total of 91 people signed the petition, which included a link to a blog post he penned explaining what he would do if released.
“Surely, the severity of my life sentence for a non-violent drug conspiracy has caused a great devastation and impact on my life, family, friends and community,” he wrote in the blog. “I would also like the opportunity again to be a productive citizen and be an asset to my family, friends, and community and to myself.”
Worthy, who described himself as a mid- to low-level “street dealer,” also argued his life sentence was more appropriate for a drug kingpin.
“The harshness of a life sentence does not suit my level of participation in this crime,” he said.
He went on to explain that he never considered what dealing drugs was doing to the Akron community.
“I never thought about what I was really doing to my family and friends. I never thought about what I was doing to my community nor to myself by selling drugs and destroying human lives,” he wrote. “The power and effects of the drugs, how it tore people’s lives apart both mentally and physically. The things it made them do to get high, such as stealing, killing, robbing and more. Yet I continued to sell them drugs.”
He said he hoped to support and coach a youth basketball league if he was released, so that he could prevent at-risk youth from following in his footsteps. He accepted full responsibility for his actions and begged Obama to forgive him.
“If I could personally ask for forgiveness to all that I sold drugs to, I would many times over,” he said. “Now I can only pray to God to accept my admission of guilt and ask you to grant me the opportunity to right my wrongs.”
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ngfalcon.