Michael Pelletier, 64, of St. David, was serving a life sentence in federal prison for running an international marijuana smuggling ring when President Trump commuted his sentence on 20 January 2021, one of 70 clemency grants that day.[1][2] Paralysed from the waist down since a farm accident at age 11, he uses a wheelchair and had asked for release on health grounds.[1]
A Maine smuggling ring
Jurors in Bangor found in July 2007 that Pelletier ran a multimillion-dollar ring moving marijuana across the Canadian border for distribution across Maine from 2003 to 2006, with others carrying the drug while he directed them; the convictions included money laundering and Social Security fraud.[1] Judge John Woodcock sentenced him to life for distribution plus a concurrent 20 years on conspiracy and other counts in January 2008, and ordered him to repay nearly $84,000 in disability benefits and forfeit more than $4.8 million in proceeds.[1]
Failing health, then clemency
Pelletier’s lawyers said the Terre Haute prison gave him no medical care or physical therapy, his health deteriorated, and he caught COVID-19 in late 2020; a compassionate-release motion was pending when clemency arrived, with prosecutors conceding he met the age-and-health criteria while still opposing release.[1] His sister’s online petition drew more than 115,000 signatures with backing from CAN-DO, and the White House noted his clear disciplinary record, prison oil painting and the housing and work waiting with his brother in Florida.[1][2] Profiling the twelve cannabis prisoners freed that day, Leafly noted Pelletier was 13 years into the life term and a self-taught artist whose work helped fund his clemency campaign.[3]
