HOUSTON – A Houston-area man who spent over two decades in federal prison for drug-related charges was granted a brief period of freedom following a clemency order from former President Joe Biden. However, that newfound freedom was short-lived when he was ordered back to prison due to a ‘clerical error’, leaving his family devastated and questioning the integrity of the justice system.
Ronald Lymuel had been convicted in 2005 for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. After serving 20 years, his sentence was commuted by President Biden on the final days of his administration, as part of a broader initiative aimed at addressing sentences for individuals convicted of non-violent drug offenses.
On Feb. 9, Lymuel was released from federal prison and returned to his family, reuniting with his mother, siblings, children, and grandchildren for the first time in years.
“It was just, I don’t know, I can’t describe it. Being able to hug him, and him being able to see his kids and his grandkids. He could start his life again,” said his sister, Tiy Bilbo.
The joy of the family’s reunion didn’t last long.
Just two weeks later, on Feb. 23, Lymuel received a call from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The prison informed him that a “clerical error” had led to his premature release, and he was instructed to turn himself in immediately.
A spokesperson with the Federal Bureau of Prisons said there’s little they could share due to privacy and safety concerns.
“I just start crying,” Bilbo said. “Like, they said my brother had to go back. It’s just like, how? Like, how can they just take somebody back?”
For Lymuel and his family, the news was nothing short of devastating.
“We thought he was free, and then the system just yanked it back,” Bilbo said, recounting how her mother had cried nonstop during their reunion.
The family had dreamt of a future together, but instead, they found themselves fighting against a system that seemed to offer only fleeting hope.
Attorney Brent Mayr, who represents Lymuel, expressed his shock over the situation.
“I called his counselor and asked, ‘Is this really happening? What’s going on?’ And, of course, he said yes. He wouldn’t give me any details, but they said he needed to report back,” Mayr recalled.
RILWAN: “When you’ve spoken with, I assume, colleagues, have you or any of your attorney friends seen anything like this happening this way?”
BRENT: “No, no... what we’ve seen is the inverse. We’ve seen cases where individuals that are in federal prison and are supposed to be released aren’t released. And they end up spending months, and sometimes even years. in custody before someone realizes, oh, yes, this person should have been released six months ago or a year ago. This is the inverse, right? They released them by mistake and now they’re taking them back.”
Mayr said he fears what the President Donald Trump’s administration could do.
“When the Trump administration is so opposed to anything that the Biden administration did, and when you hear things like trying to attack the perspective pardons that he granted to legislators that were part of the J-6 committees. You have to think and wonder, ‘oh my goodness, are they gonna try to maybe undo this with someone like Ronald Lymuel, or the thousands of others who had their sentences commuted as well?‘”
The Executive Grant of Clemency document outlines the commutation of Lymuel’s sentence, along with hundreds of others.
“I hereby commute the total sentence of imprisonment each of the following named persons is now serving to expire on February 17, 2025,” the executive grant of clemency, signed by Biden, reads. “If applicable, I also remit up to $10,000 of the unpaid balance of the fine or restitution amount imposed by the court that remains at the end of each person’s respective sentence. For any individual that has a term of supervised release or other components of the sentence, I leave intact and in effect the term of supervised release imposed by the court with all its conditions and all other components of the sentence.”
“He [was] sentenced to a lengthy prison sentence in federal court for possession of 45 grams of crack cocaine and he was also on probation at the time out of Galveston County,” attorney Mayr told KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun. “His probation got revoked. He got sentenced to 10 years in state prison. He did every bit of that and then was released to federal custody to serve out that federal sentence.”
Lymuel’s sister, Tiy, said through the years her brother grew up. He was making plans for his future and freedom.
Lymuel had followed all the rules during his brief time of freedom, including meeting with his probation officer and following all the conditions set forth by his release.
“This is the worst,” said Mayr, reflecting on the emotional rollercoaster that Lymuel and his family had endured. “You talk about a rollercoaster of emotions, they were just getting used to being together again, and then this happens.”
Lymuel’s family is determined to fight for his release, as they seek accountability from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. They are calling for him to be placed in home confinement until his release is finalized, but as of now, they have not received a response from the Bureau.
Despite the setbacks, as an older sister, Tiy said she will continue to do whatever she can to bring her brother home, permanently. She sent President Trump a certified letter pleading their case.
“We can’t let this happen to anyone else,” she said. “It’s not just about Ronald; it’s about everyone who’s been wronged by a system that’s supposed to protect them.”
The Federal Bureau of Prisons released a statement:
“For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the Federal Bureau of Prisons does not discuss the conditions of confinement of any incarcerated individual, including release plans or reasons for changes in release plans.”
