Former Cocaine Dealer Alton Mills Chicago-Area Man Who Had Life Sentence Is Facin Charges

Former cocaine dealer Alton Mills, aged 54, who had his life sentence commuted by former President Barack Obama in 2015, is facing charges of three counts of attempted murder.

According to the Illinois State Police, 54-year-old Alton Mills has been accused of three counts of attempted murder. The charges stem from an incident on Sunday where an individual from a vehicle shot at another vehicle on Interstate 57 in Posen, a city located approximately 30 miles south of Chicago.

A gunshot victim was found in the back seat by soldiers who arrived at the scene. The victim was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Authorities have reported that an arrest has been made.

On Tuesday, Mills was taken into custody and is presently being detained without bail.

Seven years after being pardoned and released from prison where he was serving a life sentence, Mills has been arrested.

In 1993, Mills was arrested on federal drug possession charges. In the following year, he was convicted of a felony, marking his third offense, and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.

The individual in question has been convicted three times, with the first two convictions being for possession of less than five grams of crack cocaine. The third conviction was for conspiring with crack cocaine.

In December 2015, former President Barack Obama chose Mills, along with 94 other non-violent federal prisoners who were sentenced during the peak of the War on Drugs, to have their sentences commuted as part of a pardon initiative. This decision was made on the basis that these individuals would likely receive much lighter sentences if they were sentenced today.

Statement
After spending 22 years in prison, Mills was released in early 2016. Afterwards, he was employed as a mechanic for the Chicago Transportation Authority.

Democratic lawmakers have referred to Mills as a tragic figure who was victimized by an unjust system following his release.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren met with Mills shortly after his release. The individual shared a statement on Facebook, accompanied by a photograph of the two of them.

According to the speaker, Alton’s story highlights the apparent injustice in the fact that an individual who requires assistance can spend their entire life selling crack on the streets, while a bank executive who launders hundreds of millions of dollars for drug cartels can simply pay a fine and continue to reside in their own home. “According to Warren, the incident occurred at night,” reported the journalist.

According to the speaker, there exists a single set of laws, but two distinct legal systems, and the citizens of the United States anticipate a higher standard. The speaker called for a cleanup of the criminal justice system and a reform of drug enforcement practices, which they claim only serve to ruin lives and communities.

Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, has written a letter to former President Barack Obama requesting a commuted sentence for Mills. Durbin has also shared Mills’ story on the Senate floor multiple times, including during his advocacy for a prison reform bill in 2018.

Senator Durbin announced in December 2015 that Alton Mills had been released from prison after serving a 22-year sentence. Durbin held a photograph of Mills and characterized him as a minor criminal who was not violent and was influenced by the wrong people.

Since then, what has he been doing? A man has reportedly taken up the profession of a mechanic with the Chicago Transportation Authority. A marriage ceremony was held and he tied the knot. According to sources, he is a contributor to society.