Obama commuted Morgan City man's prison sentence

A Morgan City man, who was sentenced 19 years ago to serve 30 years in prison on drug charges, was among 330 people President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of on his final day in office Thursday, according to a White House news release.

William Howard Penn Jr. of Morgan City had his 360-month prison sentence, from Nov. 10,1997, commuted to expire May 19, 2017. Penn was in prison on multiple charges, including narcotics, sell distribute or dispense, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute; narcotics – sell, distribute or dispense, possession with intent to distribute; racketeering, narcotics – interstate travel in aid of illegal activity in the Western District of Louisiana, the release said.

Penn had also been sentenced to serve five years of supervised release.