Amarillo Man Coming Home Early Thanks To President Biden

A man from Amarillo and his family are happy and grateful today.

President Joe Biden released his Clemency Recipient List and it granted 78 individuals some freedom.

There were three pardons on the list and 75 commutations, and one of those commutations belonged to an Amarillo man.

Nickolas Cano plead guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting back in June of 2014. Police stopped a vehicle that was going from New Mexico to Amarillo. Inside, they found 2 cans of Campbell's Soup that weren't Cream of Chicken. It was in fact methamphetamine inside the cans. The two drivers in the car were bringing the drugs to Cano.

Cano was ultimately sentenced to a total of 140 months in prison, or roughly 11 1/2 years, with another four years of supervised release after that term had expired.

With the commutation from President Biden, he will see his time in prison reduced to roughly 8 1/2 years as he will be released on April 26, 2023, and serve the rest of his prison sentence in home confinement. His four years of supervised release will remain intact and will still need to be served.

The recipients on the clemency list are people President Biden feels can be contributing members of society and feel that by being at home, it will help them integrate back into their lives easier once their sentence is complete.

Now only time will tell if the 78 people on this list will make the most of their second chance, but for now, Cano and his family will be happy to have him back home and have the opportunity to continue his life in a meaningful way.