A U.S. Navy veteran from Florida, Jose Antonio Rodriguez, was among 39 individuals pardoned by President Joe Biden in the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history this week.
Rodriguez, now 55, pleaded guilty to bank embezzlement at the age of 26 in 1997, according to the Department of Justice. He served only one day in prison and was given three years of supervised release, along with a $500 fine.
After his conviction, Rodriguez went on to serve honorably in the U.S. Navy, where he earned several medals and awards, including the U.S. Navy Achievement Medal. He later started a family, pursued higher education, and established a career in the medical field. Rodriguez’s colleagues and friends have described him as “compassionate, empathetic, and dedicated to treating patients.”
In a statement, President Biden expressed his intent to offer mercy to individuals who have shown remorse and rehabilitated themselves. “That is why I am pardoning 39 people who have demonstrated successful rehabilitation and a commitment to making their communities stronger and safer,” Biden said. “I am also commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 individuals serving long prison terms, many of whom would face lesser sentences under today’s laws and practices.”
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