Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has recommended pardons for two people with past drug convictions, an HVAC technician who was imprisoned as a teenager and a recovery-field professional who developed a dependency after a wisdom teeth surgery. The recommendations now head to the Governor's Council, the body that must sign off before either pardon becomes official.
According to Yahoo, Jayaar Gonzalez was convicted in 1997 of distributing a Class B controlled substance. Yahoo reports he was 17 at the time and was sentenced to one to two years in state prison, serving 11 months before his release.
Since his release, Gonzalez has rebuilt his working life. He earned his GED and obtained an HVAC license, and he now works as an HVAC technician, the outlet's report notes. His old conviction has continued to follow him professionally, limiting where he can work, including some state and federal buildings, according to the seed facts behind the Eagle-Tribune's coverage.
A Recovery Advocate's Path From Prescription Painkillers
The second recommendation involves Brittany Reichmann, who was convicted in 2014 on two counts of possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance, per the same Yahoo account. Reichmann received a six-month sentence in a house of correction, suspended for four years, along with four years of probation. Her path to that conviction reportedly began with a prescription for pain medication she received after oral surgery during her senior year of high school, a prescription that led to a dependency that put her life on a downward spiral, according to the seed facts.
Yahoo reports that Reichmann completed her sentence in 2018 and has been sober since 2017. Reichmann has gone on to work in the recovery field, most recently serving as director of Recovery Friendly Workplace Maine, an organization that partners with businesses to support employees in recovery.
Healey's Stated Rationale For The Pardons
In a statement explaining the recommendations, Healey said the pardons are about fairness and removing barriers to jobs, housing and other opportunities. She has also said the justice system should recognize people who take responsibility and make meaningful changes in their lives, according to the seed facts behind the Eagle-Tribune's report.
With these two additions, Healey has put forward a total of 29 pardons during her tenure, Yahoo reports. Healey was the first Massachusetts governor in more than 30 years to recommend pardons during her first year in office, Yahoo notes, a distinction also described by WBUR, which reported that the Governor's Council voted unanimously in favor of all seven pardons Healey recommended in 2023, marking the first pardons awarded by a Massachusetts governor during their first elected year in office in three decades.
How Healey's Record Compares To Past Governors
Massachusetts governors have historically waited to exercise executive clemency, typically doing so in their second or final term.
The Boston Globe reported that Baker issued 15 pardons across his two terms, along with three commutations.
Healey has planned to modernize clemency guidelines, with an emphasis on fairness and racial and gender equity.
Under Massachusetts law, the governor holds the power to grant pardons and commutations with the advice of the Governor's Council, according to Mass.gov. The Parole Board functions as the Advisory Board of Pardons. Pardons forgive offenses, while commutations reduce sentences.
The pending recommendations for Gonzalez and Reichmann now await action from the Governor's Council before either pardon can take effect.
