4th of July Freedom Paradox: The Unfair Reality for Our Longest Serving Constituents
Elijah Mercer • July 3, 2024
As U.S. Celebrates 247 Years of Independence, Our Longest Serving Constituents Have Collectively Been in Prison For the Just Over the Same Time
At the heart of the Last Prisoner Project (LPP) lies a deeply held belief: no one should be imprisoned for offenses that are now legal. Herein lies the paradox of celebrating Independence Day in America when the War on Drugs still rears its ugly head. To right the wrongs of America’s War on Drugs, it is important to advocate for those unjustly incarcerated due to outdated marijuana laws.
Each of the men below are casualties of the current war on marijuana in the United States. They have spent years behind bars for non-violent marijuana offenses. And on July 4th, Independence Day, they still remain behind bars. Their stories highlight the urgent need for reform. As we work to free tens of thousands of individuals still imprisoned and push for systemic change, we want to share their stories on this Independence Day.
Jose Elias Sepulveda
- Sentence: Life
- Amount of Time Served: 25 years
- Jose Elias Sepulveda has spent over 25 years behind bars. Sepulveda has already served two decades of his sentence. Despite his life sentence, Jose remains hopeful and resilient, and looks to contribute positively and productively to society if ever released.
Pedro Hernandez
- Sentence: 240 months plus 3 years supervised release
- Amount of Time Served: 25 years
- Pedro Hernandez is now 66-years-old, and has served approximately one-third of his sentence. Since his imprisonment, there has been no record of any further criminal activity. If we are unsuccessful in our advocacy efforts, Pedro may not be eligible for parole until October 2084. We won't stop fighting until he is fully free.
Edwin W. Rubis
- Sentence: 480 months plus 5 years supervised release and a $25,000 fine
- Amount of time served: 26 years
- Edwin W. Rubis, serving a 40-year sentence, has faced significant challenges yet continues to persevere. After overcoming his struggle with addiction, Edwin has taken numerous steps to better himself while incarcerated. He graduated from college with a degree in Religious Education and serves as a mentor to others. He is also working as a G.E.D. and E.S.L. tutor in the education department. With the support of LPP's scholarship program, Edwin recently received his Master's degree in counseling and now hopes to pursue a Doctorate.
Jose Antonio Trejo-Pasaran
- Sentence: 420 months plus 5 years supervised release
- Amount of Time Served: 22 years
- Jose Antonio Trejo-Pasaran's story reflects the harsh reality of lengthy sentences given to those involved in organized crime. His resilience is a testament to the human spirit’s ability to endure and hope for change. Without our advocacy efforts, Jose will most likely be in prison longer and won’t be up for parole until September 2031.
Tennyson W. Harris
- Sentence: 324 months plus 10 years supervised release
- Amount of Time Served: 21 years
- Tennyson W. Harris, facing nearly three decades in prison, continues to demonstrate remarkable strength. In comparison to Tennyson’s Co-Defendants involved in his case, Harris received the longest sentence. Meanwhile, all of the co-defendants are no longer in custody.
Jose Alfredo Jimenez
- Sentence: 292 months plus 5 years supervised release
- Amount of Time Served: 20 years
- Jose Alfredo Jimenez's journey is a stark reminder that all lives can be affected by stringent drug laws and that some of our strongest allies in the movement can be those that can change the minds of our opponents. Jose is now 66 years old with Parkinson’s disease, and has already been incarcerated for over 19 years.
Leonel Francisco Villasenor
- Sentence: 360 months plus 4 years conditional release
- Amount of Time Served: 20 years
- Leonel Francisco Villasenor is trying to make a change while imprisoned. This is evidenced by those who work with Leonel on a day-to-day basis, and give him the highest marks and compliments. Leonel needs our advocacy efforts or he could be imprisoned for longer, with an opportunity for parole in May 2028.
Gabriel David Gomez
- Sentence: 360 months plus 5 years supervised release and $5,400 special assessment
- Amount of Time Served: 19 years
- After being sentenced in 2005, Gabriel Gomez went on to complete his GED that same year. Since then, he has completed 40+ educational courses, from Interview Skills to Advanced Accounting. Gabriel hopes to be released to his family in New Mexico before his 60th birthday.
Charles Macheleani Beamon
- Sentence: 999 years, 99 months, 99 days
- Amount of Time Served: 19 years
- Charles Macheleani Beamon’s is a prime example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In a letter to LPP, Charles details how a friend’s marijuana somehow got blamed on him. Charles' interaction with officers then led to his arrest and now all he wishes for is to be released from the violence that occurs inside prison walls on a daily basis.
Harold Klump
- Sentence: 360 months plus 10 years supervised release
- Amount of Time Served: 18 years
- Harold Klump has spent his entire adult life behind bars. Despite facing a 30-year sentence, Harold’s spirit remains unbroken. Harold’s imprisonment serves as a poignant reminder of the marijuana law paradox we confront on Independence Day.
Ismael Lira
- Sentence: Life
- Amount of Time Served: 18 years
- Ismael Lira has been serving a life sentence since 2006. His life imprisonment sentence makes no sense for a man with a nonviolent past. Ismael shared, “To those who [support] the Last Prisoner Project's efforts, I would like to say thank you. Thank you for your support and the assistance you've provided to right the wrongs of egregious sentencing for cannabis.“I was [sentenced] to life in prison for possession with intent to distribute cannabis. There were no eyewitnesses, no physical seizure of the supposed 100 kilograms (which turned into 1,000 kilograms for not pleading guilty which then carried a life sentence). All based on evidence from a DEA agent who was recently convicted on multiple counts of falsifying evidence and records. “For those who are in my circumstances...don't lose hope. For those who are unaware of what transpires in our legal system, I hope this gives you pause. And for those who are trying to help those in need — I thank you all; without your support, nothing will change."
Hector McGurk
- Sentence: Life
- Amount of Time Served: 17 years
- Hector 'Reuben' McGurk was vilified in the media as a “drug kingpin,” and was sentenced to life after a hung jury failed to find him guilty the first time. Federal prosecutors tried him a second time and he was convicted of this marijuana offense and was given a life sentence. He is currently 62 years old and has been incarcerated for 15 years. He is one of the three constituents, amongst many others not featured, serving life in prison for a non-violent offense. Ruben will die in federal prison for a nonviolent marijuana offense if he does not receive a commutation.
Donald Burns
- Sentence: 30 months plus 2 years supervised release
- Amount of Time Served: 2 years
- Even though Donald Burns' has a shorter sentence than others on this list, his incarceration exemplifies what he calls a “corrupt system.” Donald penned his thoughts about the system in a letter to LPP. He wrote: “Happy Fourth of July! And hopefully this shall be the final year that the insane and corrupt US Government shall be incarcerating US Citizens for a product which is sold only a few miles away from where I am incarcerated as well as only a couple of miles from my home. The only other equitable solution would be for the Governors and Legislation of all States which current[ly] sell marijuana legally should be arrested and imprisoned for selling an illegal product according to the US Legal Codes.”
These stories remind us why we do what we do and why we must continue to fight for justice. And why we need your help. This Independence Day, let's fight for these individuals and many others who are unfairly imprisoned by continuing to advocate for their freedom. Join us in our mission to ensure that no one remains a prisoner of outdated and unjust marijuana laws. Let's celebrate the true spirit of freedom and justice this 4th of July by taking action at www.lastprisonerproject.org/takeaction.
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.
Bill advances long-overdue justice and support for communities most impacted by the War on Drugs Philadelphia, PA — The Last Prisoner Project praised the Pennsylvania House for passing House Bill 1200 , a comprehensive cannabis legalization and regulation bill that centers justice, retroactive relief, and public health. Sponsored by Chair Dan Frankel, Representatives Rick Krajewski and, HB1200 charts a bold path forward for Pennsylvania to not only end cannabis prohibition but also repair the damage it has caused — especially to Black and Brown communities. "Pennsylvania is long overdue for cannabis reform, and while HB1200 is not perfect, it seeks to undo the deep harms of prohibition,” said Adrian Rocha, Director of Policy at the Last Prisoner Project . “This bill recognizes that legalization without justice is not enough. Through automatic expungement and retroactive relief, HB1200 sets a new standard for what responsible, people-first cannabis policy should look like. As the General Assembly continues to debate other important aspects of this bill, the Last Prisoner Project urges Pennsylvania lawmakers not lose lose sight of the broad consensus that legalization without retroactive relief is not best interest of justice or the Commonwealth. ” Despite shifting public opinion and growing national momentum, Pennsylvania continues to criminalize people for marijuana use. This criminalization has devastated families and communities, created an unregulated market, and deprived the state of much-needed tax revenue. HB1200 directly addresses these issues by including provisions for automatic expungement of past nonviolent cannabis offenses, sentence modification for those serving time for cannabis, investments in communities most impacted by the War on Drugs, and strong public health protections. HB 1200 will now move to through the Senate voting process.
The Cannabis Unity Coalition Hosts Multi-Day Activism Event that Includes a Press Conference, Lobby Day, and White House Rally to Free Those Still Incarcerated Download Photos + Videos from the Week’s Events Tuesday, April 29th (Washington D.C.) - As Americans across the country celebrated the 4/20 cannabis holiday last week, tens of thousands of people sat in prisons incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses, licensed cannabis businesses struggled, and the federal government's cannabis reclassification process remained stalled. But this week, lawmakers and advocates are gathering on Capitol Hill to harness their movements’ momentum and enact change. Mobilizing the 70% of the public that supports legalization into political pressure, the Cannabis Unity Coalition — the largest bipartisan alliance of advocacy, industry, and grassroots organizations — is leading Cannabis Unity Week of Action this week, taking place April 29–May 1, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The multi-day event brings together advocates, impacted individuals, and industry leaders to pressure Congress and the Trump administration to fully legalize cannabis and deliver retroactive relief to those harmed by outdated prohibition-era policies. Advocates started the week today with a congressional press conference at the House Press Triangle, where they were joined by Congressional Cannabis Caucus members Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) and Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-Nevada), alongside other representatives who spoke about current legislative efforts. The press conference was followed by a welcome ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. “It’s a pleasure to join the Cannabis Unity Coalition on Capitol Hill to call for federal cannabis reform,” said Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) . “As Co-Chair of the Cannabis Caucus, I am dedicated to working with advocates to modernize the government’s outdated approach to cannabis and ensure that common-sense legislation is advanced in Congress.” “It’s beyond time to legalize cannabis nationwide and expunge records for those incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses,” said Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-05) , newly elected co-chair of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus. "I’m incredibly grateful for the partnership of the members of the Cannabis Unity Coalition and look forward to working together to get this done." As part of their 4/20 clemency campaign with LPP , members of Ben & Jerry’s advocacy team joined to help build awareness and mobilize grassroots efforts to demand clemency from governors across the country. Wednesday will be dedicated to our Lobby Day where attendees will meet with their elected officials on Capitol Hill to advocate for cannabis reform, particularly the newly reintroduced STATES 2.0 Act and PREPARE Act . Coalition partners have planned meetings with elected officials from both parties in the House and Senate including Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) , Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) , Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), Sen. Andy Kim (D-New Jersey), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-South Carolina), Rep. Tom McClintock (R-California), Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) , and other offices to call for the full legalization of cannabis, the removal of criminal penalties, and retroactive relief. Events will conclude Thursday evening with a Cannabis Freedom Rally outside the White House from 4-9 p.m. to honor those still incarcerated for cannabis and demand their freedom via presidential clemency. The rally will feature previously incarcerated activists like Donte West , Kyle Page , and Deshaun Durham , who was granted cannabis clemency by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly at the end of last year. These activists will lend their voices to the actions and share their powerful stories. The Cannabis Unity Coalition is made up of a broad array of advocate groups span across political boundaries and includes Last Prisoner Project (LPP), members of the Marijuana Justice Coalition (MJC) like Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Veterans Cannabis Coalition, and Parabola Center; members of the Cannabis Freedom Alliance (CFA) like the Reason Foundation and Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP); Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), which is a member of both coalitions; and industry groups like, National Craft Cannabis Coalition, National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association (ICIA), Asian Cannabis Roundtable, and National Association of Black Cannabis Lawyers (NABCL); other organizaitons include Freedom Grow, Marijuana Justice, Doctors for Drug Policy Reform, United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), Supernova Women, Minorities for Medical Marijuana, DCMJ, Just Leadership USA (JLUSA), National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Coalition for Drug Legalization and the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), Mission Green, Latinas in Cannabis, the Equity Trade Network, Cannademix, and Free My Weed Man. Those who can’t join us in D.C. can still participate virtually by contacting your federal representatives and asking them to #DecriminalizeNow, urging your governor to grant clemency to those in your state still incarcerated for cannabis, and following along through our livestream. Learn more and take action at LPP.la/CannabisUnityWeek . ABOUT LAST PRISONER PROJECT Last Prisoner Project is dedicated to freeing those incarcerated due to the War on Drugs, reuniting their families, and helping them rebuild their lives. As laws change, there remains a fundamental injustice for individuals whose conviction is no longer a crime. We work to repair these harms through legal intervention, constituent support, direct advocacy, and policy change. Visit www.lastprisonerproject.org or text FREEDOM to 24365 to learn more. Follow Last Prisoner Project: Instagram | LinkedIn | X/Twitter | Facebook Press contact: Stephen Post LPP Communications Manager stephen@lastprisonerproejct.org
