In a story that’s raising eyebrows across the country, a man from Alabama who was let out of prison early by President Joe Biden is back behind bars — this time on fresh drug and gun charges.
Willie Frank Peterson, 52, of Dothan, Alabama, was arrested on March 17, 2025 — just weeks after being released from prison.
He had served less than two years of a 75-month sentence for drug trafficking before President Biden commuted his sentence in January.
Now, Peterson is facing new charges after police say they found cocaine, hydrocodone, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and several illegal guns in his home.
He’s out on bond, but his case is moving through court in Houston County.
Peterson’s release came as part of what Biden called “the largest single-day grant of clemency” in U.S. history.
On January 17, just three days before leaving office, Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 federal inmates, most of them convicted of non-violent drug offenses.
He had already commuted 1,500 other sentences and pardoned 39 people the month before.
Biden said the goal was to fix what he called “outdated” sentencing laws, especially those related to crack versus powder cocaine. He argued that too many people were stuck in prison for too long over low-level drug crimes.
But cases like Peterson’s are making many Americans wonder: Did Biden let out the wrong people?
Peterson had pleaded guilty in March 2023 to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
He was connected to Kenneth Glasgow, a pastor and half-brother of civil rights activist Al Sharpton.
In August 2023, a federal court sentenced him to over six years in prison. But in January 2025, Biden cut his sentence short.
By the end of that month, Peterson was a free man.
Less than two months later, police were back at his door.
According to the Dothan Police Department, officers found drugs and firearms at his home on State Avenue.
He was charged with multiple drug offenses and two counts of unlawful gun possession.
Peterson’s case isn’t the only one raising questions.
In the final hours of his presidency, Biden also pardoned his own son, Hunter Biden, and reportedly issued preemptive pardons to several family members.
These actions have sparked a wave of criticism, especially from conservatives who say Biden was more interested in politics and legacy than justice.
To be clear, Peterson’s commutation wasn’t a full pardon — his conviction still stands.
But his sentence was slashed dramatically.
And now, with his arrest, people are asking: Was justice really served?
Supporters of Biden’s clemency push say the justice system has punished people too harshly for non-violent drug crimes, especially in minority communities.
They argue that long prison terms for things like low-level cocaine distribution don’t help society — they just ruin lives.
They also point to research showing that many people released early never commit another crime.
For example, a 2022 Department of Justice report found that only 17% of inmates released through clemency under President Obama reoffended within three years — far lower than the national average.
Whether Peterson is found guilty on the new charges remains to be seen.
But his story is already being used as an example of what some call the dangers of “soft-on-crime” policies.
Americans care about safety. They want to believe the people who get out of prison early are turning their lives around — not getting arrested again for the same thing.
For many on the right, this case feels like déjà vu.
If nothing else, Peterson’s story is a reminder that second chances come with responsibility — and consequences.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
