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Oscar Freemond Fowler III, a known repeat offender whose federal prison term was shortened in the waning days of the Biden administration, has been re-arrested to confront state charges, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier revealed on Monday.
“Just moments ago, we apprehended Oscar Fowler, a dangerous habitual criminal whose sentence was commuted by Biden’s autopen, to address state charges,” Uthmeier announced in a post on X.
He extended his gratitude to the St. Petersburg Police Department and ATF Tampa for their roles in the arrest, emphasizing that “thanks to our local and federal law enforcement partners, Florida is now safer.”
Fowler had previously been serving a 12-year and 6-month federal sentence following his 2024 guilty plea for being a felon in possession of a firearm and intending to distribute cocaine.
Federal prosecutors had advocated for a minimum of 150 months of incarceration due to Fowler’s extensive criminal record, asserting that he continued to pose a significant threat to public safety.
Despite that record, Fowler was included in a Jan. 17, 2025 executive grant of clemency commuting the sentences of more than 2,500 inmates under President Joe Biden.
A commutation reduces a sentence but does not erase the conviction. Fowler was released from federal custody as a result.
Fowler, a 48-year-old with a decades-long criminal history, is set to be released from federal prison on Thursday, February 19. Fowler is seen here from a 2013 booking photo. (Pinellas County Jail)
The clemency warrant, issued in Washington and bearing Biden’s signature, was one of several documents critics say were executed using an autopen.
Fowler’s release drew scrutiny, particularly from the Oversight Project, a conservative investigative group.
The group warned Florida officials about Fowler’s release and argued his criminal history contradicted claims that the clemency initiative focused on nonviolent offenders.
Former President Joe Biden spoke to the paper’s reporters in a 10-minute phone call regarding the growing questions from President Donald Trump and GOP lawmakers about the legality of Biden’s pardons in the final days of his presidency, which were mostly signed using an autopen. (DOJ/Getty)
“He is a dangerous criminal who’s supposed to be in jail for a very long time,” Oversight Project President Mike Howell told Fox News Digital at the time.
“This is the exact person that should be in federal custody,” he said.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, court records show Fowler’s criminal history spans more than a decade.
The most serious allegations involve the 2013 shooting death of Naykee Bostic in St. Petersburg, which happened shortly after Fowler was released from a prior federal sentence.
Former President Joe Biden requested executive privilege as the House and Senate investigates his administration’s use of an autopen, Fox Digital learned. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Bostic was found with 25 gunshot wounds. Fowler was charged but acquitted in 2017 after two prior mistrials.
A 2024 federal sentencing memorandum cited by critics also stated that Fowler made a video-recorded admission to the killing and expressed willingness to use violence again.
These were assertions prosecutors referenced when seeking a long sentence in his most recent case.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Florida attorney general’s office for comment.
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