The father-in-law of Ignacio Ramos, one of two U.S. Border Patrol agents sent to jail for shooting at a fleeing drug smuggler, is crediting WND founder and editor Joseph Farah with raising the issue of the sentences to the point they were suspended by commutations announced by President Bush today.

"We can only thank Joseph Farah, Jerome Corsi and the staff at WorldNetDaily because from the beginning you have been with us and you never gave up on the case," Joe Loya, Ramos' father-in-law, said today. "Your reporting had a lot to do with the decision today by President Bush to commute the sentences."

Bush's administration announced the commutations on the president's last full day in office. The former border officers are expected to be released from the rest of their 11- and 12-year prison terms about March 20.

"Thank God for this commutation," said Joseph Farah, editor of WND, who launched a petition and letter-writing campaign that re-energized the Ramos-Compean issue in the last 30 days of Bush's term. "This will end the sleepless nights for their wives and children. This is the first step toward making these families whole, again."

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Farah's petition collected more than 40,000 signatures by the time today's announcement was made, and the letter campaign produced more than 3,000 FedEx letters to the White House.

The petition described how the agents were "serving outrageously long prison terms for shooting and wounding, in the line of duty, a fleeing illegal alien drug smuggler trying to bring almost 800 pounds of marijuana into the U.S."

An official who was not identified because clemency decisions rarely are discussed said, "These were law enforcement officers and they have the highest obligation to obey the law, and have to be held to accountable when they breech their responsibilities."

Bush decided against a pardon because he felt punishment was appropriate, but he remained concerned that the punishment was too severe, the official said.

The border agents were arrested after a high-speed chase when smuggler named Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila abandoned a van holding just under 800 pounds of drugs.

According to reports, the agents shot him as he ran away, but they didn't report the shooting as regulations required.

Aldrete-Davila, who was given immunity by the government to testify against the agents, participated in another drug delivery in the U.S. while under immunity and now is serving nine years for that case.

Congress already has begun considering a proposal calling for pardons for the two.

In a letter sent to WND only days ago, Compean expressed his gratitude.

"Although our case received attention before we reported to prison, I truly believed people would forget all about us. Once we reported to prison, I was very happy to see how wrong I was. I have received thousands of letters from people all over the country. I have also received letters from other countries such as Italy and even a few from soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan," he wrote.

"These last two years have been very hard for my family and me. This has affected us in so many different ways. We have lost two years of our lives that we will never get back," he continued.

"Thank you again for everything you have done to help. Words are not enough to express how grateful my family and I are."

 

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Previous stories:

Bush cuts sentences of Ramos, Compean

DOJ considering commutation for Ramos, Compean

10 congressmen urge clemency for agents

Compean finally speaks from behind prison bars

Agent 'has butterflies' over chance for reprieve

Big name senators plead for agents' freedom

Bush on border agents: 'I'm not talking pardons'

Obama's ICE candidate pleads for agents' pardon

Compean's wife wants heart-to-heart with Bush

Bush springs drug dealers, lets 2 border agents rot

Ramos-Compean treatment has border agents quivering

President Bush thinking of border agent pardons?

No mercy for jailed Border Patrol agent

Rules allow border agents to seek clemency

Border agent convictions upheld by court of appeals

What did government promise drug smuggler?

New ethics complaint targets Ramos-Compean prosecutor

'Ramos, Compean must ask for clemency'

Call renewed for pardons for border agents

Pardon me: Bush blasted for ignoring border agents

'Free agents by Christmas' plan gains momentum

House resolution wants Ramos, Compean freed

Another win for border agent who struck illegal

Feds admit smuggler lied in Ramos-Compean case

Jailed border agents plead for new trial

Rights 'denied' Ramos, Compean

Ramos, Compean feared for their lives

Drug smuggler arrested for 2nd marijuana load

'Pardon Ramos and Compean now!'

Arrest prompts call for release of Ramos, Compean

Bush won't get involved in Ramos, Compean review

Lawmaker: Terrorists treated better than Ramos, Compean

Texas deputy freed from prison

Jailed Texas deputy scheduled for release

Gil Hernandez 'fears for his life'

Border Patrol agent vindicated

Sheriff sees pattern in border agents' cases

Feds seeking 7 years for another Texas cop

Justice urged to release Ramos-Compean documents

Records prompt call for new Ramos-Compean trial

Congressman: Bush 'doesn't give a damn'

Cop called 'double agent' in Ramos-Compean case

Ramos, Compean release on bond nixed

Border agents' case inspires song

Feinstein still probing Ramos-Compean case

Judicial Watch seeks records in Ramos-Compean case

Sheriff: Deputy prosecuted by Mexico's demand

Senate hearings on Ramos-Compean postponed

Smuggler's 2nd drug case confirmed by accomplice

Ramos attorney calls for mistrial

Smuggler's 2nd delivery of marijuana confirmed

Congressman: Probe Mexico's role in prosecutions

Mexico demanded U.S. prosecute sheriff, agents

Discrepancies in case against Border Patrol unresolved

Compean reports reading half of Bible already

How cozy was Border Patrol with smuggler?

Border Patrol agents fired for changing testimonies

Drug smuggler left cell phone in van

Border-agent investigator had tie to smuggler

Author of DHS border-agent report lied to Congress

Officials urged to resign for lie about border agents

Government admits lying about jailed border agents

Imprisoned border agent did report shooting

Imprisoned border agent beaten by fellow inmates

Prosecutor had evidence against drug smuggler

Poe seeks 'public' documents on border agents

Prosecutor accused of hiding smuggler's 2nd drug bust

Homeland Security memos contradict U.S. attorney

Uproar over border agents to get White House review

Feds 'knew smuggler' in Border Patrol case

Ballistics data don't support charge against border agents

Funds set up for Border Patrol agents

Congressman: Feds stonewalling on border agents

Border agent's wife at State of the Union

Revolt builds as Republicans seek to toss border agents' convictions

Border Patrol agent held in solitary confinement

Imprisoned agent's wife: President is a hypocrite

Border agents' prosecutor responds to critics

Border agents sent to prison

Border agents plead for 'Christmas pardon'

White House clarifies 'nonsensical' comment'

12 congressmen demand pardon for border agents

Snow says question on agents' prison time 'nonsensical'