My son, Edwin Walter Rubis, is serving a federal sentence of 40 years for a nonviolent marijuana offense. He was sentenced in Houston, Texas, where statistics have shown that harsh sentences are more often given to minorities. He has been in prison since 1998, and has served as a model inmate for all of those 18 years. It is time for him to get a second chance at life.

At the age of 19, Edwin began to battle drug addiction and began to get into trouble with the law. Over the course of his drug addiction we sought him help to get his life in order but to no avail. At the age of 29, he was slapped with this offense, and we discovered that when a family can’t afford to hire a competent independent attorney, their chances at justice are very slim. Edwin was appointed a lawyer for “indigent defendants,”, and he was immediately advised to give the court information on other drug offenders he knew. Edwin truly did not have the information they were looking for, so he was quickly deemed “uncooperative” and the trial judge gave him a particularly harsh sentence -- 40 years. He has been in prison ever since.

He has served 18 years for a nonviolent marijuana offense. Even if he had been fairly represented and his trial hadn’t been weighed against him,18 years is sufficient for this crime. Please sign our petition asking President Obama to grant our son clemency, Edwin Rubis, so he may have a second chance at life.

Edwin has been working hard to make his time in prison productive. He has certificates of completion from the psychology and religious departments. He completed a 2-year apprenticeship to be a dental assistant in the medical department. He is active in personal spiritual studies, and is seen as a mentor by his peers for both spiritual and personal character. In fact, a pastor at a rehabilitation program in Florida has said that he has a job opening available for him upon his release.

Sadly, we have exhausted all legal avenues in our search for justice for Edwin. I am pleading for him to receive a presidential clemency so that he can continue his rehabilitative work and efforts to help young men deal with situations similar to those he faced during his younger years on the streets. He wants to further his education and help others out of the justice penal system.

Please sign this petition urging President Obama to grant my son, Edwin Walter Rubis, clemency. He has been rehabilitated, and he deserves a second chance. Sincerely, Maria Alicia Roque