Mass. Drug Offender Gets Sentence Commuted By Obama

BOSTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has commuted the sentence of a Massachusetts man convicted of drug and weapons charges.

Carlos Lopez of Lawrence is among 95 offenders whose commutations were announced Friday. Obama also pardoned two people. Many of the prisoners are nonviolent drug offenders serving long sentences for cocaine and crack crimes.

Lopez was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine base, distribution of cocaine base, carrying a firearm during a drug crime and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

He was sentenced in 2003 to 25 years in prison. His sentence was commuted to end April 16, 2016.

The commutations are part of an effort by the Obama administration to re-evaluate a criminal justice system that some say imposes overly harsh sentences on drug offenders.

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