Published on: Monday, November 16, 2020

A man who was sentenced to 505 years behind bars for money laundering is to be released immediately after serving just 31 years of his five century sentence (article available here).

Juan Carlos Seresi, whose projected release date from the federal Bureau of Prisons had been July 8, 2419, was ordered to be freed "without delay" and his sentence reduced to time served. Once out, he will be subject to a three-year term of supervised release.

Seresi's attorneys filed a motion seeking his release on compassionate grounds, due in part to his advanced age and a diagnosis of high blood pressure making him susceptible to serious complications from Covid-19. Prosecutors in the US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles did not oppose the motion. The Court noted that Seresi was convicted of a nonviolent offense, had already served more than 30 years behind bars, earned three associate degrees while incarcerated and had a near spotless disciplinary record.

The sentence was considered harsh even when imposed in 1991 represent the sort of draconian punishment that has since been widely condemned amid a national conversation around justice reform.