SOUTH BOSTON, Va. – A South Boston man serving a life sentence for non-violent drug charges is getting a second chance from Governor Ralph Northam just weeks before he leaves office.
Jesse Dunaway has been in prison for well over a decade after the non-violent drug offenses he committed in South Boston in the early 2000′s.
He’s the only person in Virginia to be tried and convicted under the state’s kingpin statute. But now his life sentence is getting reduced to 20 years.
Dunaway was first convicted in 2003 after selling marijuana and cocaine, and instead of being tried for distribution in court, prosecutors tried him under the state’s kingpin statute.
“He did something wrong and he served a period of time in prison, and now he doesn’t need to be there anymore,” director of Virginians for Judicial Reform Lisa Spees said. “For him to get a mandatory life sentence for something that the guidelines called so much lower, just seems really unjust.”
Over the years, thousands signed petitions asking for Governor Ralph Northam to pardon Dunaway. On Dec. 17, that hope became a reality.
“Jesse Dunaway has been about as well behaved as you could ever be in prison, the young man got his GED, he has been highly successful, he has not been written up in prison and he works about 55 hours a week,” Attorney Jon Sheldon said.
Advocates say Dunaway wants to return to his home and start life in a new path. He hopes to help people in similar situations to his own.
“Jesse Dunaway is looking forward to going home, he’s going to live with his aunt and uncle. He’s going to work, he’s going to be a productive member of society, remember he’s never been violent, no violence, no violence convictions in his past and he has four children and he’ll take care of those,” Sheldon said.
Because Dunaway is getting a conditional pardon, he will continue to serve his sentence and be released in 2025. The charges will stay on his record.