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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Dads Should Be Home This Father's Day, Not in Prison for Cannabis

By Stephen Post • June 13, 2025
As families across the country come together this Father’s Day, thousands of children are spending the day without their dads—not because of violence or harm, but because their fathers remain locked away for cannabis-related convictions. In many cases, these men are serving long sentences for conduct that is now legal in much of the United States. Despite cannabis being decriminalized or fully legalized in the majority of states, the human cost of prohibition continues to devastate families—especially those in historically marginalized communities. These are fathers raising their children through prison phone calls and video visits, relying on letters and photographs to stay connected while missing birthdays, report cards, and everyday moments. Behind every sentence is a story. And behind every prison wall is a child wondering why their dad can’t come home. Daniel Longoria is one of those fathers. A U.S.-born, Hispanic man serving a 30-year sentence for a nonviolent cannabis offense, Daniel has not seen or held his children in years. The pain of distance, separation, and injustice weighs heavily on him. He shared the following: “When a Dad has not seen his kids, held his kids and who's son no longer speaks to him because I am over 1,000 miles away from home without a good cause puts such a heaviness in my heart that if I did not have God to turn to, I might have probably already ended my life. My son has now been diagnosed with Mental Behavior Disorder and has attempted suicide three different times. These things as a Father kill me inside because I was a great Dad and my kids loved me, and so Father’s Day is really hard to celebrate anymore. How can I celebrate this day, when I know my kids are struggling out there because of a plant that many states are now making millions, if not billions, of dollars off of it? I have also become a grandfather of two and have yet to meet them. I keep the faith and remain strong in the Lord. One day, I pray to be home and this nightmare be over.” Daniel’s experience is not an isolated one. At Last Prisoner Project, we work with dozens of fathers currently incarcerated for cannabis convictions—men who are missing milestones, parenting through prison walls, and holding on to hope for freedom. These dads include: Terrence Pittman – Father of five, serving a 30-year sentence Rollie Lamar – Father of six, serving an 18-year sentence Antoine Turner – Father of three, serving a 13-year sentence Malik Martin – Father of six, serving a 10-year sentence J’lyne Caldwell – Father of four, serving a 5-year sentence Vinh Nguyen – Father of two, serving a 6-year sentence Rendy Le – Father of two, serving a 5.5-year sentence Sean Scott – Father of one, serving a 5-year sentence Sean Scott’s story is particularly heartbreaking. A former Division I football player and successful real estate entrepreneur, Sean is serving over half a decade for a nonviolent marijuana offense involving nine kilograms and a legally owned firearm. While he remains proud of his past and hopeful for the future, he’s devastated to be missing out on his two-year-old son’s life. “This is my third time away,” Sean said. “And it’s extremely difficult to just watch my son grow and miss another holiday with him.” His fiancée is raising their son alone while also caring for Sean’s elderly mother. Sean is one of many fathers who should be home—not behind bars for something legal in so many parts of the country. Then there’s Rendy Le, a father of two, who reminds us what’s at stake. “You can always make money—but you can’t always make memories,” he said. “Cherish the good times.” It’s a sentiment echoed by every man we work with: time is the most precious thing they’re losing. Despite all this injustice, we also see the other side—stories of reunion, resilience, and redemption. Bryan Reid is one such example. After serving six years of a 12-year cannabis sentence, Bryan is now home and rebuilding his life with his children. “When I went in, my son was just one and my daughter was three,” Bryan told us. “I missed every first and last day of school. But now? Now I’m their sports dad, Santa, and biggest fan.” In the 15 months since his release, Bryan has made new memories—picking his kids up from school for the first time, visiting trampoline parks, and watching his oldest daughters graduate college. “Watching them grow into strong, independent women and seeing how hard they’ve worked for everything they have is nothing short of incredible,” he said. “It was an honor to stand beside them.” Bryan’s return to fatherhood, though hard-earned, is a reminder of why we fight. No one should be separated from their children over cannabis. No child should grow up wondering why their father is in prison for something now sold legally in dispensaries across the country. This Father’s Day, let’s do more than celebrate. Let’s commit to changing the laws, freeing the fathers, and reuniting families. Join us in advocating for clemency, resentencing, and restorative justice—for Daniel, Sean, Rendy, and the thousands of others still waiting to come home. Want to help this Father’s Day? Share their stories and donate to support our work! Bryan Reid Enjoying Freedom

Last Prisoner Project’s Journey to Justice Gala to Honor Impacted Families and Push the Fight for Freedom Forward

June 12, 2025
Wednesday, October 15 at Sony Hall in New York City Notable Guests Include Carmelo Anthony, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, Dr. Wendy & Eddie Osefo, Fab 5 Freddy, Keith Shocklee and Studdah Man of Public Enemy, and Guy Torry with a Performance by Joy Oladokun PURCHASE TICKETS & MORE INFORMATION

Illegal Here, Legal There: Alexander Kirk’s Journey Through Cannabis Criminalization

By Stephanie Shepard • May 14, 2025
When Alexander Kirk walked out of prison on December 10th, he stepped into a world that had shifted beneath his feet. But the shift wasn’t universal. In Iowa, where he lives, cannabis is still fully illegal. Drive two minutes across the bridge into Illinois, and that same plant, once the root of his decade-long incarceration, is not only legal but a booming, billion-dollar industry. That contradiction sits at the center of Alex’s story. He’s a father, a mechanic, a reader, and a deep thinker. He’s also someone who spent more than ten years of his life behind bars for the same substance that dispensaries now sell with flashy packaging and tax revenue incentives. “It’s crazy,” he says. “One side of the bridge is legal, the other side isn’t. It’s hard to believe.” A Life Interrupted Alex’s most recent sentence—ten years in federal prison—started with a bust that was as much about timing and proximity as anything else. He was on federal probation for a previous cannabis offense. A raid at a residence he didn’t live in, but where his truck was parked, ended with a federal indictment. A tip from his child’s mother, who was angry about a disagreement over vacation plans, helped open the door for the investigation. “She made a call, gave them a tip,” Alex recalls, without bitterness, just clarity. “And that’s all it took.” The charges? Conspiracy to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana—a charge that, while less than the quantities tied to large-scale trafficking operations, still carried weight under federal law. He received 80 months for the new charge and another 40 months for violating parole. The math added up to a lost decade. “I had already done ten and a half years the first time,” Alex says. “I was institutionalized. Prison became familiar. It’s where I knew how to move.” But even when you know the rules, prison isn’t easy. The hardest part for Alex wasn’t the food, the routines, or the guards—it was missing his children growing up. “I got five kids. Three of the older ones talked to me after and explained how I chose the streets over them. That was hard. But it was true.” He reflects on it now with a kind of painful honesty: “I didn’t want to pay for weed, so I started selling it. I smoked, and I hustled. Eventually, it got out of hand.” Knowledge Behind Bars Alex didn’t spend his time in prison passively. He worked in the prison garage, learning to fix cars—something he’d loved as a kid. He dove into books and self-help titles. One that stuck with him was The Voice of Knowledge by Don Miguel Ruiz. “That one changed things,” he says. “It helped me realize everyone’s got their own story they’re telling themselves. That helped me stop taking things so personally.” He also began thinking about the world beyond prison. He drafted a business plan for a youth program designed to keep teens from ending up like him. “I wanted to show them they had options,” he says. “You don’t always get that when you grow up in survival mode.” The Politics of Legalization What’s jarring about Alex’s story is not just the sentence—it’s the fact that it happened while the national conversation around cannabis was changing rapidly. By the time Alex was halfway through his sentence, multiple states had legalized recreational marijuana. Billion-dollar brands were being built. Politicians were posing for ribbon-cuttings at dispensaries. Celebrities were launching product lines. And people like Alex were still behind bars. “It’s unjust,” he says bluntly. “There’s no reason someone should be locked up for weed while companies are out here getting rich off it. The little guy got crushed. They legalized it after locking us up, but didn’t let us out.” The irony was never lost on him: that he was doing hard time for something that was now a tax revenue stream in neighboring Illinois. A Second Chance and Real Support Alex’s sentence was reduced under the First Step Act—a federal law aimed at correcting some of the harshest penalties in the justice system. Thanks to that and a longer placement in a halfway house, he was released earlier than expected. Through a friend, he reconnected with a woman from his past who introduced him to the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) . At first, he was skeptical. “We never heard about people helping folks like us. I didn’t think it was real.” But he gave it a chance—and found not just advocacy, but consistency. “Even getting emails, updates, hearing from people… that helped. It made me feel like someone gave a damn.” Through LPP, he learned that he qualifies as a social equity candidate in states with legalization programs. That means access to business licenses and support that could help him transition into the legal cannabis industry. He also learned he might qualify for early termination of his probation—a process he’s now pursuing. “I want to get into the legal side,” he says. “I know the game. I lived it. Now I want to do it right.” Life After Prison Alex is currently working in the halfway house kitchen. He’s trying to stay grounded, focused, and patient. Reentry is never easy. “You come out and everything is fast. You feel like you’re behind. But I remind myself: it’s not a race.” He’s rebuilding relationships with his kids. He’s focused on starting a business—maybe something in cannabis or something with cars. He hasn’t fully decided, but he knows he wants to help others, too.  “There’s still a lot of people inside,” he says. “And they shouldn’t be. Not for weed. If we’re really gonna legalize it, let’s legalize it for everybody. That means letting people go.” “Get to Know Their Story” Alex doesn’t want pity. He’s not asking for a handout. What he wants is what most people want: a chance to live free, to work, to be with his family. To matter. “Just because someone’s been to prison doesn’t make them violent. Doesn’t make them a bad person. Get to know their story.” Alex’s story is one of transformation, not because the system rehabilitated him, but because he did the work on his own. Now he wants to use his experience to change the system itself. He’s already started.