Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich Home From Prison, But He’s Not Entirely A Free Man

CHICAGO (CBS) — His 14-year sentence commuted by President Donald Trump, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is back home in Ravenswood Manor with his family, but he’s not entirely free just yet.

Blagojevich returned home from prison around midnight Tuesday night, after nearly eight years behind bars, following his 2011 conviction for among other things, trying to sell an appointment to the U.S. Senate seat once held by Barack Obama before he was elected president in 2008. A federal jury also convicted him of charges he tried to shake down a racetrack owner, a tollway construction company executive, and the CEO of a children’s hospital; and for lying to the feds to cover it all up.

While the president’s decision to grant clemency to Blagojevich released him from prison after nearly eight years behind bars, the former governor remains on supervised release — the federal equivalent of parole — for two years. Trump’s decision to commute Blagojevich’s sentence left the supervised release in place.

That means Blagojevich must regularly report to a probation officer, and cannot leave Illinois without the permission of his probation officer or a judge for the next two years.

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Blagojevich also must get a job, allow his probation officer to visit his home at any time, and avoid excessive use of alcohol.

And while recreational marijuana is now legal in Illinois, because the federal government still considers it a controlled substance, Blagojevich is not allowed to use pot during his supervised release.

As a convicted felon, he’s also not allowed to possess any firearms — even after his supervised release is complete — and his supervised release bars him from owning any other dangerous weapon.

If he’s ever arrested again, he must notify his probation officer within 72 hours, and he can’t enter into an agreement to act as an informant for any law enforcement agency without a federal judge’s permission.

Finally, he must pay any balance left on the $20,000 fine and $1,800 special assessment that were part of his sentence.