Recently Pardoned Individual by President Biden Faces New Legal Allegations

A man from Michigan, who previously received clemency from former President Joe Biden, is now facing charges strikingly similar to those for which he was granted leniency.

Henri L. Buckner, aged 44, is accused of two counts of possession with intent to deliver narcotics or cocaine exceeding 1,000 grams, as per Saginaw County court records accessed by Law&Crime. According to the U.S. Department of Justice records, on January 17, 2025—just days before the end of Biden’s presidency—Buckner’s sentence of more than seven years for distributing over 28 grams of cocaine base was commuted.

Buckner’s federal incarceration began on May 11, 2023, but the commutation of his sentence meant he served less than two years, leading to his release on March 18, 2025.

His legal troubles began with a federal indictment in September 2020, wherein prosecutors alleged Buckner was part of a conspiracy alongside four others to possess and distribute drugs. In April 2021, Buckner admitted guilt to charges of distributing cocaine base.

Now, roughly a year after his sentence was commuted, Michigan authorities claim Buckner has reverted to criminal activities. He and three others are facing new charges, with potential sentences that could lead to life imprisonment, according to a report by MLive.

Buckner was charged on Friday and appeared virtually in court on Monday. He is set to return on April 22 for a notice of hearing before a preliminary exam takes place the following week.

Buckner was not the only person who saw a lighter sentence after Biden’s action on Jan. 17, 2025. The departing president commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 people, a record.

His predecessor and successor, President Donald Trump, has since continued the trend, pardoning and commuting the sentences of thousands of defendants, many of whom were involved in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.