After Serving 16 Years In Prison for Cannabis, Tom Ranes Needs Your Support Recovering from Medical Neglect

Mitzi Wall • July 5, 2023

WELCOME HOME TOM


Tom Ranes moved to Anchorage, Alaska from Tensaw, Alabama in 1996 to work in the oilfields. His first job in Alaska was as a welder’s helper. After only six months Tom was promoted to a rig worker at 20 years old. This was unheard of at the time. Clearly Tom was an incredibly talented man who knew how to work with his hands. He was already an excellent mechanic. It was no surprise that within a year Tom bought his own truck with mobile welding capability. In no time, Tom had more work than he could handle alone and was soon hiring employees and renting his own shop space. Tom secured a three-million-dollar loan from The First National Bank of Alaska and the Small Business Administration and Ranes & Shine Welding and Automotive was born! It was comprised of welding, sheet metal, pile driving and oil field services. The local newspaper took notice and touted: “Ranes & Shine Welding Maintains a Climate of Versatility, Innovation and Excellence” and in its business pages stated, “This is the new business in town making its mark in the oil industry.”


It was during this time Tom met a gentleman who would change the course of his life forever. This man hired him to build unique compartment in gas tanks – hidden. Tom being young and from a small country town in Alabama, he was naïve to the reason behind the tanks. But in time he learned what they would be used for. The money was good and much needed for his true goal of building a

successful business. He was pulled into this organization by men who knew how to control others with money, manipulation, fear and violence. Tom soon felt stuck and unable to get out so he compartmentalized what he could and proceeded in life trying to make a success out of his business.


Tom was raising a family which was the most important part of his life. He had two beautiful children; a daughter, Hannah and a son, Emory. Life was good, business was booming and extremely lucrative. Tom had multiple interests and became passionately involved in auto racing. He was the proud owner of a 2003 Ford Mustang Cobra that set track records in Hawaii and at the Alaska Raceway Park as the fastest street-legal car in the quarter mile. It seemed only natural that Ranes & Shine would delve into services for non-fleet vehicles such as installation of roll cages and motors, and anything else that could optimize performance and safety on the race track.


Behind the scenes and unbeknownst to Tom, the federal government had been surveilling the drug ring and it’s two leaders in Alaska for the previous seven years. On April 22, 2006 Tom was indicted along with eighteen co-conspirators and arrested. One of the leaders committed suicide on the day of the raid and the remaining leader was killed. The government then labeled Tom as the “leader, drug kingpin.” While Tom never had a leadership role, this designation of drug kingpin created problems for Tom and his defense. The charges filed were Conspiracy to Import a Controlled Substance (cannabis); International Money Laundering; and Money Laundering.


Tom could not cooperate with the federal government. It was not an option out of fear of retribution from a drug organization that was far reaching. Two leaders now dead, Tom knew he should pay for his part in the drug ring but the feds refused to offer him a deal that matched his involvement. They threatened him with a life sentence, while the co-conspirators were taking and getting 5- and 10- year sentences. Tom was fighting for his life and wanted to go to trial so he could prove the allegations against him were false. In typical fashion, the case dragged slowly and multiple attempts to find legal representation to fight for him in court were futile. Tom was worn down and knew that the odds were 98% against him prevailing at trial against the federal government. They were asking for life in prison so to cut his losses, he pled guilty and accepted a plea deal of 30 years in prison. Tom knew there were only two outcomes; go to prison or be killed. He was in too deep, knew too much and all of the things he cherished in life were in jeopardy. Looking back over this horrific time in his life Tom has acknowledged that his arrest ultimately saved his life. Tom was on his way to serving the next thirty years of his life in a federal correctional institute but he and his family never gave up fighting for his freedom.


Shortly after Tom’s incarceration in the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), he fell from a top bunk in his cell injuring his coccyx and rectal soft tissue causing a thrombosed hemorrhoid. A BOP healthcare worker lanced the hemorrhoid five consecutive days, leading to an infection which caused Tom to lose a significant portion of his large intestine and areas of his abdominal wall. Over the next 16 years, Tom

suffered chronic pain and had to undergo over twenty surgeries. He has had three sections of his large intestine removed due to blockages and has had medical mesh implanted due to an incisional hernia. While mesh is normally absorbed by the body, Tom’s mesh failed repeatedly. Tom had to wear a colostomy bag for two long years. In conjunction with this issue Tom had a severe large herniated disk with free floating fragments pushing on his spine. This was only discovered after he was treated for yet another mesh repair when Tom explained the severe back pain and an MRI of his spine was ordered. With these findings, surgery was recommended for Tom in 2019. Unfortunately, the BOP did not seem interested in helping Tom as he never underwent the surgery. At times Tom was confined to a wheelchair due to his chronic back issues which the BOP refused to either acknowledge or treat. The repeated infections, continued mesh failures, fixing his colon and frequent surgeries have ravaged Tom’s muscle strength and immune system. Tom will require multiple surgeries and procedures to permanently repair the site of the incisional hernias, surgical scars, neglected herniated disc that he received from previous medical errors and substandard care.


In addition to the medical conditions for which Tom was suffering, he received almost nonexistent dental care. He went in with all his teeth but was only seen by dental students. As a result, 70% of Tom’s teeth were extracted. You see the BOP doesn’t believe in preventive care; cavities are not filled, they are pulled.


Life goes on in prison, no excuses. Despite Tom’s severe medical issues, he became an integral part of the work teams. Clearly, Tom was skilled with his hands and had much to offer the BOP in terms of employment and instruction. Tom was assigned many jobs over the years within the BOP. He completed over forty rehabilitative and educational programs as well as holding the position of an instructor for several adult continuing education classes. Jobs included: lead welder building the military M-RAP and armored hummers that were being used in the Iraq war. He was teaching other inmates welding and fabrication in preparation for their post-prison employment. Tom received several well- deserved commendations from his employers shown as follows:


- Working for the Facilities Department at FCI LaTuna, his supervisor Mr. Le wrote the following:

“Ranes was always first to work and always last to leave and he has an exceptional work ethic. He completed his work with a journeyman-level product and a can-do attitude.” He also noted, “with Mr. Ranes’ help I was able to complete many projects that would have required a lot more time to complete. Mr. Ranes was also an outstanding role model to the other inmates. Mr. Ranes stayed clear of disciplinary issues that would affect the other inmates.”


- Another supervisor at FMC Ft. Worth wrote of Tom:


“I can truly say in 17 years of working in this trade I have seen few who can accomplish his quality of work. We are often limited in supplies, tools, and equipment. Tom Ranes improvises and completes any task assigned. He is also known for his initiative. He can often spot problems and finds solutions without direction. Initiative is not a common quality within this institution.”


In conjunction with his work life, Tom also participated in multiple arts and crafts courses that kept him close with his son and daughter. He would create art, ceramics and leather goods to send to his children.


It is no surprise that Tom took his artistic pursuits as seriously as everything else he did. He maximized his phone calls with Hannah and Emory to keep their relationship strong. Hannah was just six years old when Tom left for prison and Emory was just a toddler. Against all odds and because of his focus and determination, Tom’s bond with his children only grew while he was incarcerated. Sadly, Tom received the devastating news that his beloved, beautiful daughter, Hannah unexpectedly passed away on May 16, 2022 at the age of 22 years old. One cannot fathom the utter despair a parent must feel when suffering this kind of loss. Compound that with being in prison alone when your reason for living has been suddenly, drastically – changed. It was during this time of intense mourning that Tom, recognizing he qualified for The Cares Act, filed for a compassionate release. He knew he must get home to see his son, Emory. By this time Emory, a gifted student, who finished high school in two years was currently attending The University of Florida. He is studying pre-medicine with plans to specialize in orthopedics. To say Tom is proud, is an understatement.


A Motion for Compassionate Release was filed in July 2022. This motion sought a reduction in sentence which effectively would allow Tom to serve the balance of his sentence at home subject to 2 years home confinement and after that 6 years’ probation. This court granted this motion and Tom was released from prison on December 15, 2022.


Tom considers himself fortunate to have a supportive family located in Alabama where he will be subject to home confinement for the remainder of his sentence. Tom is currently living and working with his brother at his landscaping business which specializes in building retaining walls, docks and boathouses and installing paver driveways. Tom plans to become a partner in the business and add welding to the list of services offered and hopes to buy equipment such as pile drivers to work more efficiently. His brother is able to work around Tom’s multiple physician appointments that are required to get his health back on track. His sisters have also helped Tom with his transition home by tutoring him to become computer proficient. Sadly, Tom and his family are also dealing with aging parents. His father lives in a VA facility and is legally blind. His mother needs around the clock care.


Tom is starting his life over with nothing financially. His most pressing priority is getting proper medical care. The substandard care Tom received while serving his sentence in addition to the pain limitations under which he is currently living is simply put – unconscionable. The first thing Tom acquired upon his release was a medical plan. Unfortunately, it came with a $7,200 deductible. In addition, the BOP which requires home monitoring, charges him $112.00 per month for the ankle monitor they require him to wear. He hopes that some relief could be provided by the community that is building stock portfolios from the very commodity for which his is still serving a thirty-year sentence.


Tom Ranes, is and always had been, an optimist. In the midst of the needless suffering he has endured, inflicted upon him by the substandard care provided by the BOP, he has steadfastly maintained his belief that most people are good, and that his unfortunate collision with the federal government is part of the hand that life has dealt him. It is obvious from Tom’s story that he not only maintained his positive outlook, but that he used the time that was taken away from him, to develop himself into a better person with even more talents and skills, despite the limitations of incarceration. At the same time, he shared his hard-won knowledge and enduring positivity to help others better their lives. There are no pity parties here. Tom looks forward to reestablishing his ties to both his community and his family, particularly his son, Emory. His first order of business is attending to his health. Tom has proven that his spirt can’t be broken. He did not let the years of his incarceration prevent him from being a light in this world. Being back in the community and becoming as healthy as possible, Tom’s light will continue to shine for so many more people that he can now reach.


PLEASE SEE THE BELOW GO FUND ME FOR TOM. YOUR HELP IS APPRECIATED:

https://gofund.me/3a67f5ce


This article was written by one of Tom's advocates, Mitzi Wall (mitzifwall@gmail.com)


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    Tom and Son Emory


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    Tom's Daughter Hannah

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A Mother Still Behind Bars for Cannabis: The Story of Brandy Fisher

By Mary Bailey • May 18, 2026
A Mother Still Behind Bars for Cannabis: The Story of Brandy Fisher While legalization spreads across America, women like Brandy Fisher remain forgotten inside federal prison — serving out decade-long sentences for marijuana as the world outside changes without them. How It Began Brandy Fisher never imagined she would spend a decade in federal prison. Charged with distribution of 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, she became a target when family members and close friends she trusted were already working as federal informants — six of them. When agents approached her first and asked if she wanted to talk, she asked for a lawyer. That decision, the right one under any standard, did not protect her from what came next. “The 6 informants who were close family and whom I thought were best friends had turned federal agents,” Brandy recalls. She took a plea deal — ten years under Rule 11(c)(1)(C), a binding agreement that locks the sentence in place regardless of changes in law. And the law has changed dramatically. “Sitting back and watching the world change daily is amazing — how now the world can see that marijuana can be used to cure people of sicknesses.” — Brandy Fisher As state after state has legalized or decriminalized cannabis, and as federal reform conversations have grown louder, Brandy remains locked in. Her binding plea means no retroactive relief applies to her. She watches from inside, and she waits. While Brandy serves her sentence, her family carries the weight too. Her father has received a family support grant from the Last Prisoner Project to help offset the costs of caring for Brandy’s six-year-old son. And when Brandy is eventually released, she will be eligible for a Last Prisoner Project reentry grant — funding designed to help cannabis prisoners like her rebuild their lives from the ground up. Life at FCI Waseca Brandy first survived FCI Dublin — the California federal prison that became the subject of a federal investigation into widespread staff sexual abuse. She was transferred to FCI Waseca in Minnesota, which she describes as one of the worst women’s federal prisons in the country. The conditions she describes are a portrait of institutional neglect. The commissary is shut down for weeks at a time. The kitchen served her food with a live beetle on the tray — she no longer eats there. Women are denied body oils because, as Brandy recounts, the staff claim it draws unwanted attention from male officers. A captain reportedly declared that commissary soda was being removed because women there were overweight. Cleaning supplies — bleach, Ajax — are withheld, yet women are asked to clean bathrooms that handle used sanitary products, sometimes without gloves. An outbreak of H. pylori, a bacterial infection that can lead to stomach cancer if untreated, has affected a significant portion of the population. “They are trying to keep it on the low,” Brandy says. “We are run around by majority men officers — there are unpleasant comments made about women and their sexual body parts, comments about the way our clothes fit.” — Brandy Fisher The harassment, she says, is daily and institutional. The message from staff is clear: the needs and dignity of the women housed there are not a priority. Safety, Mental Health, and a Six-Year-Old Boy Brandy shares her room with three individuals convicted of serious child sex offenses carrying sentences of 25 or more years, as well as others convicted of drug offenses and one convicted of murder. The federal system houses people across these vastly different profiles together, and any refusal to comply with the arrangement risks placement in the Special Housing Unit — solitary confinement. For Brandy, the psychological weight is not abstract. She has a six-year-old son on the outside, being raised by his 80-year-old great-grandfather. Every night, she falls asleep thinking about child predators — the ones inside, and the ones who may be near her child. Mental health support at Waseca is, by her account, almost nonexistent. There is one mental health staff member. “I will not call her a doctor,” Brandy says, “because when she talks to you, she is angry herself and she doesn’t give good advice.” When Brandy first arrived at FCI Dublin, she was immediately stripped of all mental health medications she had been taking for four years. No taper. No transition. No plan. What Clemency Would Mean Brandy is currently pursuing clemency with legal support from the Last Prisoner Project. For her, release is not the end of the story — it is the beginning of one she has been carefully building in her mind, and on the page, for six years. She wants to return to real estate: flipping and staging homes, putting them back on the market. She is also planning a nonprofit bookstore dedicated to donating reading materials to federal prisons nationwide. Over the past year alone, she has read more than 200 books. It has changed her. “Reading gives me hope, and it makes my time fly by. I want to help feed the minds of others with learning materials, love stories, action-packed books — and let’s not forget the hood books that keep us all on edge.” — Brandy Fisher She points out that in six years, not a single author of the many book series her family has ordered for her has ever donated books to FCI Waseca or FCI Dublin. She intends to be the person who changes that. Brandy Fisher is not asking for pity. She is asking to be seen — and asking those with the power to grant clemency to consider what second chances are for, and who deserves them. Write to Brandy — Let Her Know She Hasn’t Been Forgotten One of the hardest parts of incarceration is feeling invisible. A letter from a stranger can be a lifeline. If Brandy’s story has moved you, take five minutes to write to her directly. Tell her you read her story. Tell her she matters. Tell her people on the outside are fighting for her. Brandy Fisher 47495-509 FCI Waseca P.O. Box 1731 Waseca, MN 56093 You also have the option to write your letter to Brandy on the Last Prisoner Project website, and we will print and mail it for you: https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/letter-writing Support the Last Prisoner Project Brandy’s family support grant, her legal advocacy, and her reentry grant when she is released — all of it is made possible by donors like you. Last Prisoner Project works every day to free cannabis prisoners, support their families while they are inside, and help them rebuild when they come home. To keep doing this work, we need your support. Donate here .

75 Years for Cannabis: The Story of Julian Andrade

By Mary Bailey • May 4, 2026
75 Years for Cannabis: The Story of Julian Andrade Julian Andrade is 22 years old. He was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, and he has now spent three of those years inside a prison cell, serving a 75-year sentence for a nonviolent cannabis charge. He also received concurrent terms of 50 and 10 years. No one was hurt. No violence was involved. Just a young man from Fort Worth, still maturing, whose life was upended by a system that chose punishment over proportion. Julian is a father. His son was born while he was incarcerated, a milestone he could not share, a childhood he cannot witness in person. His aunt stands firmly by his side, advocating for him and helping make sure his story gets told. Together, they are determined that what happened to Julian will not stay silent. This is his story, in his own words. A Fast Life and Bigger Dreams Before his arrest, Julian was someone who poured his time into the people he loved. "Before incarceration, I would spend any and all time that I could with my family and loved ones," he says. Underneath that, he carried real ambition. His goals were not small. He wanted to open businesses and bring others along with him, to create something and share it. "The path I thought I was on at 19 was a fast life that I did not know how to get out of." It's a sentence worth sitting with. A teenager who wanted to build something, who wanted to lift people up, caught in circumstances he didn't yet have the tools to escape. That kind of nuance rarely makes it into a courtroom. Shock, Confusion, and a Quiet Resolve When the verdict came down, Julian didn't rage. He went quiet. "I was in shock, loss of words, hurt, but mainly confused. I didn't hurt anyone. It was only cannabis." The confusion is understandable. Cannabis is now legal or decriminalized in the majority of U.S. states. The substance at the center of Julian's case is sold openly in dispensaries across the country. And yet, in Texas, a 19-year-old received a sentence longer than most people's entire lives. Julian has refused to let that sentence hollow him out. Since coming to prison, he says he has grown closer to God and encourages others to do the same. He uses the time to mature and to become a better man, not just for the people waiting for him on the outside, but for himself. "Since receiving my time, my perspective has changed completely. I now use this time to mature, grow, and become a better man for my family, friends, and my release, but most importantly myself." A Father Behind Bars Julian's son came into the world while Julian was incarcerated. There was no hospital room, no first cry he could hear, no hand to hold. There is only the wondering. "I miss my son daily. It hurts me knowing I can't help or even watch him grow up. I'm always wondering what he is doing, what kind of kid he is, and what he likes. Hoping one day I can do the same things with him that my grandpa did with me." That last line carries everything. A grandfather's love, passed down through memory, now at risk of being cut off by a sentence for a plant. Julian's son is growing up without his father. Julian is getting older without being able to watch his child grow. "My child means the world to me." The Daily Weight Ask Julian what his hardest challenges are, and his answers are not about prison conditions or legal policy in the abstract. They are deeply personal. "The biggest challenge I face daily is missing home. Hoping I'm free before my grandpa or mom passes. Being able to still be in my child's younger years. And enjoying life in the free world while I'm still young." He is racing against time on every front, against grief, against his son's fleeting childhood, against his own youth passing inside a cell. And yet something keeps him going. "The world is changing. But mainly dreaming about the things I will do and the life I want to live upon my release." He means it literally, too. Julian says he looks forward to pumping gas, walking through a grocery store, and one day helping others who find themselves in situations like his. The smallest freedoms, the ones most people never think about, are the ones he dreams about most. What Julian Wants You to Know If Julian could speak to lawmakers, advocates, and everyday people, he would not ask for sympathy. He would ask for honesty. "I know what I did. I broke the law. But I don't think people like myself or others should be serving long sentences, especially for something nonviolent or accepted in more than half of America and other parts of the world. I was still a kid when I came to prison. I was still growing up and maturing, and still am today. I didn't hurt anyone, never did, and never will. I don't deserve all this time. I understand I and others have broken the law, but we should not be doing more than 5 years for a plant." His aunt echoes that call. She has stood by Julian since the beginning, advocating loudly and consistently, refusing to let the system's silence become the final word on her nephew's life. Her support is a reminder that behind every incarcerated person is a family fighting to bring them home. Julian hopes that one day he will be able to share his testimony from the outside, to stand in front of others who are struggling and tell them there is a way through. That vision is part of what keeps him moving forward. The Door to Clemency Is Almost Sealed Shut Julian would like to pursue a sentence commutation, but Texas makes that road extraordinarily difficult. And even the path to clemency is nearly out of reach. Texas requires a written recommendation from a majority of the current trial officials, the present prosecuting attorney, the judge, and the sheriff or chief of police of the arresting agency from the county and court of offense, conviction, and release, along with full compliance with the board rules governing commutation of sentence, just to be eligible to apply. The very system that locked Julian up is the same one he'd need permission from to get out. His aunt has stood by him every step of the way, fighting to make sure his story is heard. Now we're helping make sure it is. A System Out of Step Julian's case is a stark illustration of how dramatically cannabis sentencing diverges across state lines. In one state, a person can legally purchase the same substance that earned Julian 75 years in Texas. That disparity is not justice. It is geography. Julian did not commit a violent crime. He was a teenager from Fort Worth who made choices in a life he didn't yet know how to navigate. He is now 22, a man and a father, spending what should be some of the freest years of his life behind bars. The question is not whether Julian broke a law. The question is whether this punishment fits any honest definition of justice. We believe it does not. "I hope what happened to me and others like me stops happening." So do we, Julian. Julian Andrade is a constituent represented by the Last Prisoner Project. If his story moved you, please take action. Contact your representatives, support cannabis sentencing reform, and consider donating to Last Prisoner Project so that we can continue to fight for the freedom of cannabis prisoners like Julian.

The Story of Cannabis Prisoner, Yasquasia Delcarmen

By Mary Bailey • May 4, 2026
Yasquasia Delcarmen is 29 years old. She is a mother, a musician, and an aspiring screenwriter. She was building a life — pursuing a creative career, studying communications and journalism, and raising her infant son — when a federal sentence of 8 years, followed by 3 years of probation, brought everything to a halt. She has now served 16 months. No one was hurt. No violence was involved. Her charges were for cannabis — a plant medicine that brings quality of life to millions of people — now legal or decriminalized across most of the country, yet still capable of costing a young woman nearly a decade of her life and separating a mother from her child. Yasquasia is telling her story because she hopes it will make a difference. She hopes it will matter soon. This is her story, in her own words. A Creative Life, Cut Short Before her arrest, Yasquasia was in motion. She had been pursuing a career as a music artist for years — real opportunities, real momentum — and studying communications and journalism because writing had always been a passion. She describes herself as someone who had talent and possibility right in front of her, but who hadn't yet slowed down enough to fully embrace it. "I had a lot of opportunities to really make something of that. I feel like I just didn't slow down long enough to embrace the talents I had in front of me." She has not let go of those dreams. From inside, she has decided to pick up her writing again and pursue screenwriting. The artist is still very much alive. She is just working under very different circumstances. A Crashing Wave When the sentence came down, Yasquasia nearly collapsed. "Receiving a 96-month sentence hit me like a crashing wave. It was a lot. It devastated my family. A moment I'll never forget. I almost passed out, to be honest." She was remanded into custody the same day. No goodbye on her own terms. No transition. Just a courtroom and then a cell, and a son who was 11 months old waiting on the other side of a door she could no longer open. Sixteen months in, the weight of that sentence hasn't disappeared. But Yasquasia has found a way to carry it. She has realized how important it is to stay uplifted and productive, and she takes it one day at a time. Her perspective has shifted — not because the sentence feels any more just, but because she has chosen, deliberately, not to be hollowed out by it. A Mother Behind Bars If there is one thread that runs through everything Yasquasia shares, it is her son. He was 11 months old when she was taken into custody. He is now two. In the months between, she has missed his first steps, his first Christmas, and his first birthday. "It's tough. But it's important to stay uplifted — so I focus on the positives. He is well taken care of. I have an amazing support system. He's happy, healthy, and safe, and knowing that puts my heart at so much ease." She is clear about accountability. She does not excuse the choices that led her here. She has had to forgive herself — genuinely forgive herself — and make the daily decision to get up and become the best version of herself she can be, so that when she comes home, she can give her son everything he needs and more. "My son definitely means the world to me. I messed up putting myself in this situation to be away from him, but I've had to forgive myself and get up every day to work on being the best version of myself I can be so I can come home to him." Her son is growing up without her there. She is getting older without being able to watch him grow. That is the sentence within the sentence. Just Being Here When asked about her greatest daily challenges, Yasquasia's answer is simple and total: just being here. Being away from home, away from comfort, away from family, away from her own life. What keeps her going is faith and purpose. She describes keeping close to God and locking in on things that contribute to her growth as the fuel that keeps her hopeful. In a system designed to strip agency, she is carving out space for growth every single day. What Yasquasia Wants You to Know If Yasquasia could speak directly to lawmakers, judges, prosecutors, and advocates, she would not ask for pity. She would ask them to think harder about what punishment is actually supposed to accomplish. "It didn't take giving me 96 months for me to understand where I went wrong. Sitting here for years for my first legal mistake is not beneficial to me or my child." She takes full accountability. But she challenges the assumption that years of incarceration are necessary — or effective — to change someone's behavior. What people in the system sometimes need most, she says, is something that is in short supply: empathy. She also speaks to the mechanics of the federal system itself — the way cooperation with prosecutors can dramatically reduce a sentence, while refusing to cooperate means the full weight of the law comes down regardless of the underlying conduct. She finds that dynamic troubling and hard to reconcile with any straightforward idea of justice. "If my crime is bad and you want to punish me for it — unless I give you what you want — is it really that bad? A lot of stuff just doesn't make sense." And then there is the disparity she lives alongside every day: marijuana charges, in a federal facility, serving as much time or more than people convicted of trafficking cocaine or methamphetamine — and when she does get out, three more years of probation will follow. Cannabis is now legal or decriminalized in the majority of U.S. states. The substance at the center of Yasquasia's case is sold openly in dispensaries across the country. And yet, in the federal system, she is doing eight years for it, with years of supervised release still ahead. "I can only hope and pray that things change — and soon." A System Out of Step Yasquasia's case reflects a broader reality: federal cannabis sentencing has not kept pace with the dramatic shift in how this country views and treats marijuana. In one state, a person can walk into a store and legally purchase the same substance that cost Yasquasia eight years of her life and her son's earliest years without his mother. That is not justice. It is geography. Yasquasia did not commit a violent crime. She was a young mother and creative woman who made a mistake in circumstances she was still navigating. She is now 16 months into an 8-year sentence, with 3 years of probation to follow, watching her son grow up through a distance no family should have to endure. The question is not whether Yasquasia broke a law. The question is whether this punishment fits any honest definition of justice. We believe it does not. "I hope what I'm going through, and what others like me are going through, stops happening." Last Prisoner Project is working to match Yasquasia with a pro bono attorney to file her clemency petition. She is also enrolled in our letter-writing program — because no one fighting this hard should feel forgotten. Call To Action Please consider sending Yasquasia a letter of solidarity and to remind her she hasn’t been forgotten. You can write to her directly or send your letter through the Last Prisoner Project website, and we will print and mail it on your behalf. Write to her directly: Yasquasia Delcarmen # 09823-511 FPC Alderson GLEN RAY RD. BOX A ALDERSON, WV 24910 Or send a letter through our website : https://www.lastprisonerproject.org/letter-writing Let her know she has not been forgotten. Yasquasia's story is one of thousands. The Last Prisoner Project's pro bono attorney matching, clemency advocacy, and letter writing programs exist because of donors like you. These programs are the difference between someone like Yasquasia having a fighting chance at freedom — and being left behind. If her story moved you, please consider making a donation to Last Prisoner Project today at lastprisonerproject.org/individuals. Your support keeps these programs alive and ensures that no cannabis prisoner has to fight alone.