Four KC-area men among 330 with drug sentences shortened by Obama

Four Kansas City-area men are among 330 federal inmates convicted of drug crimes who will see their sentences shortened after President Barack Obama issued a final round of commutations Thursday.

All four men were serving 20-year prison sentences, mostly for crack-cocaine related offenses. Instead of remaining behind bars well into the next decade, most will be released in 2019.

Thursday’s commutations, which may be Obama’s last major act as president, brought his total number of commutations granted to 1,715, more than any other president in U.S. history, the White House said. Obama has described the acts as a bid to correct what he’s called a systematic injustice.

During his presidency, Obama ordered free 568 inmates who had been sentenced to life in prison.

Of the four local men, Alton J. Easley, of Kansas City, Kan., has been in prison the longest. Sentenced in May 2006 to 20 years in prison for possession and intent to distribute crack cocaine in Iowa, he would have remained in prison until 2023. Instead, his sentence is set to expire Jan. 19, 2019.

Also to be released that month: Derrick L. Baines and Alonzo King, both of Kansas City, both serving 20-year sentences.

Baines was convicted in 2006 in Louisiana of possession of crack with intent to distribute. King was convicted in 2008 in Iowa of conspiracy to distribute crack after a prior felony conviction.

The fourth man, Dempsey Johnson, of Kansas City, will see his 20-year sentence shortened to 13  1/2 years. Johnson was convicted in 2008 in Missouri of conspiracy to distribute ecstasy and cocaine base.

Others with links to the Kansas City area received commutations over the past year.

Earlier this week, Jessie Traylor, the father of former Kansas basketball player Jamari Traylor, received a commutation of his sentence for a nonviolent drug crime.

In November, Jeffery William Strain, 60, of Kansas City, saw his 25-year sentence shortened. In December, Maurice D. Ball was released from prison after receiving a commutation four months earlier.

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Four KC-area men among 330 with drug sentences shortened by Obama."