Overview

• Willie Frank Peterson, 52, was arrested on March 17, 2025, in Dothan, Alabama, on charges including drug possession, marijuana possession, firearms violations, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Peterson had been serving a 75-month sentence for conspiracy to distribute cocaine before President Joe Biden commuted his sentence to 20 months in January 2025.
• The commutation was part of Biden's clemency initiative, which aimed to address sentencing disparities for non-violent drug offenders and included over 2,500 individuals.
• Peterson's arrest has reignited debates about the risks of recidivism and the vetting process for clemency recipients under Biden's criminal justice reform policies.
• The Justice Department previously linked Peterson to drug distribution activities with Kenneth Cherden Glasgow, a figure with ties to activist Al Sharpton.