After wave of Trump pardons, lawyer wants clemency for non-violent drug offender

Attorney Shon Hopwood is hoping to convince President Trump to add one more name to his list of pardons: Matthew Charles, a Nashville man who’s spent half of his life behind bars because of a non-violent drug offense.

Charles was originally sentenced to 35 years jail time for dealing, but in 2016, after 21 years served in federal prison, he was released as part of an Obama-era program intended to cut prison time for non-violent offenders.

But a higher court later ruled his sentence reduction was a mistake. Charles is currently in county jail, waiting to be transferred back to federal prison to serve an additional eight to 10 years.

Now, in hopes of commuting the remainder of Charles’ sentence, his attorney Shon Hopwood is turning to a higher governmental power: The president, who just last week pardoned conservative filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza, and suggested he may pardon Martha Stewart and commutated the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

“We’re merely asking the president to commute his sentence as time served and put him back with his community and back with his family that dearly wants him back,” Hopwood said during an interview with FOX Business’ Stuart Varney on Tuesday.

During his release, Charles proved that he deserved a second chance, according to Hopwood. He got a job, found a community within a church, started a serious relationship with his girlfriend and volunteered every Saturday at a soup kitchen for the homeless.

“There is no reason to keep Matthew Charles in prison for 10 more years,” Hopwood said. More than 70,000 people have signed an online petition seeking his release. According to Hopwood, the White House is aware of Charles’ case.