DETROIT (AP) - President Barack Obama has shaved years off a Detroit-area man's sentence for a drug crime.
Kareem Martin has been in prison since 2007. His 23-year sentence now will expire in 2018. Obama commuted the sentence Friday along with the sentences of 41 others.
In 2006, Martin pleaded guilty to possession with intent to deliver cocaine. Federal Judge Lawrence Zatkoff noted a "long history of criminal conduct" and said a "significant sentence" was appropriate.
Martin's sentencing guidelines were enhanced by his past convictions. He's been seeking a shorter sentence for years; his latest effort was rejected by Judge Sean Cox on May 13.
In 2014, Martin wrote Zatkoff, saying he was a "changed man" who had become an electrician while in prison.
