Jesse Webster

Jesse Webster (born in 1969) is an American former prison inmate who was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for drug-related charges and tax fraud. He was featured in an ACLU report discussing life sentences for nonviolent offenses in 2013. His sentence was later commuted by President Barack Obama in 2016.

History A native of the South Side, Chicago, Illinois, Webster began a job at a local carwash as a teenager, first after school and on weekends, and then full-time. In 1985, one of Webster's customers, a drug dealer, offered him a job as a driver. Jesse accepted the job, and dropped out of school in 9th grade to become more involved in the drug trade. He met Archie West in 1985, and subsequently his associates Andre Mitchell, Sam Mitchell, Dino, Reginald Jones and Sherman Randolph. In 1992, West agreed to drive for Webster through 1995, and between 1992 and 1995, Websterand his associates distributed 200 to 300 kilograms of cocaine.

In August 1994, Webster helped arrange to purchase 25 kilograms of cocaine from a drug informant. The deal was abandoned without any drugs changing hands, but Webster discovered months later that he was wanted for questioning. Webster voluntarily turned himself in, and in September 1995 he was indicted. The decision was based on the testimony of Webster's co-defendants, who had agreed to plea deals in exchange for their testimony.

In 1996, Webster was sentenced to life without parole by Judge Zagel, which was the minimum mandatory sentence at the time.

Prison life Webster began counseling fellow inmates while in prison, and became a Captain's orderly. He was transferred from a high security prison in 2011, to a medium security institution in Greenville, Illinois. In Greenville he earned his GED, and began tutoring other inmates.

Personal life Webster has one daughter who, in 2013, was enrolled in a criminal justice program at Kennedy King College. He has one grandchild.