Manuel Perez-Colon and family are requesting the President grants his petition for Commutation of Sentence to reduce his LIFE sentence, give him a second chance, and allow him to reunite with his family. Please read below for details:

Manuel Perez-Colon grew up on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, in a city rich in history, distinct neoclassical and Ponce Creole architecture, and a vibrant cultural scene. But behind that beauty was a childhood marked by hardship that no young boy should have to endure.

At age eleven, Manuel’s parents divorced, and he went to live with his mother. In doing so, he lost the steady male guidance that could have helped shape his understanding of responsibility, discipline, and direction during critical formative years. By sixteen, he had moved in with his high school sweetheart and quickly learned what it meant to shoulder adult responsibilities. He worked at his grandfather’s gas station and later relocated to Connecticut, where he secured stable employment. For the first time, he felt proud—able to provide for his family and welcome his firstborn son into the world.

That stability was short-lived. Manuel was forced to return to Puerto Rico to care for his mother after she was diagnosed with cancer. She passed away in 1991 at only 38 years old. In a matter of months, he lost his mother, his job, his home, and daily contact with his young son. The emotional devastation of that loss left him vulnerable, directionless, and struggling to cope.

Still young, inexperienced, and deeply affected by grief, Manuel became susceptible to poor influences and dangerous decisions. Seeking belonging and stability in the wrong places, he became involved in drug distribution in Ponce, Puerto Rico, and carried a firearm for protection. He accepts full responsibility for this criminal behavior and the harm his choices caused. He does not deny his wrongdoing, nor does he minimize the seriousness of his actions.

In addition to drug distribution, Manuel accepted a plea agreement related to two murders—one which he maintains occurred in self-defense, and another for which he continues to assert his innocence. While on bail, he was charged in connection with a firearm found in his residence and drugs discovered on an individual leaving his home. In 1997, at only 26 years old, he was sentenced to what ultimately became a life sentence due to sentencing enhancements and guideline cross-references for conduct that was never specifically charged.

Due to changes in federal sentencing law, if Manuel were sentenced today, he would not receive a mandatory life sentence.

Rehabilitation and Service
Shortly after entering prison, Manuel made a life-altering decision: he would not allow incarceration to define him—he would use it to transform himself.

Over the past 29 years, he has held numerous trusted positions, including but not limited to:

• GED tutor
• Suicide watch companion
• Safety department worker
• Commissary worker
• Medical orderly
• Unit orderly

He has received consistently strong performance evaluations from supervisors, psychologists, suicide watch coordinators, and education staff. They have described him as responsible, punctual, respectful, professional, a “model inmate,” and someone who has helped many incarcerated individuals complete their GED requirements. One supervisor wrote that he “truly has the power to save lives.”

Within his first year of incarceration, Manuel began pursuing education. To date, he has completed more than 150 educational, vocational, and psychological programs, including evidence-based recidivism-reduction programming developed under the First Step Act of 2018. He has earned 908 days of First Step Act time credits.

According to the Bureau of Prisons’ PATTERN risk assessment tool, Manuel is classified as minimal risk for recidivism—both generally and violently. His commitment to self-improvement, therapy, education, and service has fundamentally changed how he thinks, responds to conflict, and views his responsibility to others.

This is Manuel’s first and only period of incarceration. He entered prison at 26 years old and is now 55. He is not a repeat offender. His crimes were the result of immaturity, grief, and reckless decision-making—not a lifetime of criminal behavior.

Despite having no release date, he has spent nearly three decades preparing to return to society as a responsible, productive, and law-abiding citizen.

Reentry Plan and Family Support
Manuel has developed a comprehensive and realistic release plan, including:

• Two stable housing options
• Seven job offers
• Access to transportation
• Health insurance
• Continued medical care
• Strong community and family support

He does not wish to be a burden on society or taxpayers. He wants to work, contribute, and care for his family.

Today, Manuel is a father of four and a grandfather to two young boys, with a third grandchild on the way. He dreams of guiding his sons and grandsons so they do not repeat the mistakes he once made. His own father, now 75 years old and facing serious health challenges, hopes to embrace his son again before time runs out.

Manuel is painfully aware that he cannot undo the past. But he has spent 29 years proving—through action, not words—that he is no longer the man he once was.

Why Clemency Is Justified
Under current law and sentencing standards:

• Amendment 782 would reduce his offense level
• Amendment 830 would eliminate enhancements based on uncharged conduct
• His jury did not determine drug type or quantity, which would significantly affect statutory exposure under Apprendi v. New Jersey
• Codefendants with similar guideline calculations ultimately received 20-year sentences

Manuel has already served far longer than many individuals convicted of similar offenses today.

He has demonstrated extraordinary rehabilitation, poses minimal risk to public safety, and has strong reintegration plans in place. 

Call to Action
Clemency would not erase the past—but it would acknowledge the profound transformation Manuel has made, the life he has rebuilt in confinement, and the family waiting to welcome him home.

We respectfully ask for your support in urging the Office of the Pardon Attorney and the President of the United States to grant Manuel Perez-Colon clemency and allow him the chance to spend his remaining years as a contributing member of society, a father, a grandfather, and a living example that true rehabilitation is possible.

Thank you for reading his story and for standing with our family.