President Trump has commuted the sentence of notorious former Chicago street gang leader Larry Hoover, who was serving multiple life sentences in federal prison.
Hoover, 74, the co-founder of the Chicago gang Gangster Disciples, was already serving a 200-year sentence on state charges in Illinois for the 1973 murder of 19-year-old neighborhood drug dealer William “Pooky” Young, when he was convicted of federal charges in 1997, and sentenced to six life terms.
Federal prosecutors had accused him of leading a criminal enterprise to continue overseeing the gang while in prison in Illinois.
Hoover is currently serving six life sentences in a maximum security prison in Colorado, according to federal prison records.
It’s unclear how soon he will be released from federal custody, but he still faces the remainder of his 200-year sentence in Illinois, dating back to 1973 for Young’s murder.
Hoover’s attorneys said he has spent nearly 30 years in solitary confinement at ADX Florence, a maximum security prison in Colorado which they described as “the most restrictive, draconian supermax prison in the United States.”
In a statement, Hoover’s attorneys, Jennifer Bonjean and Justin Moore, said they are “thrilled” to see he will be released from federal custody.
“The Courts have demonstrated a complete unwillingness to consider Mr. Hoover’s considerable growth and complete rehabilitation. Despite the Court’s unwillingness to do the right thing, Mr. Hoover has been able to keep his voice alive through the incredible work of many advocates and supporters. Thankfully, Mr. Hoover’s pleas were heard by President Trump who took action to deliver justice for Mr. Hoover.”
