Parole

[Nramos]

Jurisdiction

North Carolina

In the case of Master Sgt Omar-Velez (Fort Bragg), he got sentenced to 30 years in military prison for the 2014 killing of his Panamanian girlfriend. He is to be reduced in rank to private, dishonorably discharged and to forfeit pay and allowances. I understand is with possibility of parole when eligible. I understand that Velez-Pagan received 644 days of credit for his pre-trial confinement. The judge, shortened Velez-Pagan's sentence by another 184 days because the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office in Fayetteville violated his rights as a military prisoner.Fifteen of the 184 days of credit are for housing Velez-Pagan and another inmate together in a cell designed for just one inmate.

The remaining credit is because the county jail published Velez-Pagan's inmate mugshot, with him dressed in a jail jumpsuit, on the jail's website from May 2015 to October of 2015. The military is not allowed to publish these types of pictures of its detainees and the county jail was acting as the military's agent when it housed Velez-Pagan.

My question is: What would be the aprox. min release date on this case to obtain parole? Thanks!

 

[army judge]

Only ARBA determines if, or when, an Army prisoner obtains parole.
That tends to be driven by the findings of the prisoner's general courts martial subject to the applicable appeals through the military court system.

The authority for parole under the UCMJ is AR 15-130.

http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/r15_130.pdf


"When the approved sentence to confinement is 30 years or more, to include a sentence to confinement for life, clemency consideration will be not later than 5 years from the date confinement began and at least annually thereafter."

I suggest you have the prisoner contact his attorney to seek clarification about any eligibility he might have for parole.


Mission Statement of Army Clemency and Parole Board

The Army Clemency and Parole Board conduct clemency, parole and mandatory supervised release hearings for eligible Army prisoners and supervisees, and interfaces with:

U.S. Parole Commission
Administration Offices of U.S. Courts (Parole Division)
Federal Bureau of Prisons Facilities
DoD Correctional Council
DoD Correctional Facilities
Army Corrections Command
The Clemency and Parole Board reflects the overall ARBA mission to serve soldiers and their families with justice, equity, and compassion. Our intent is to work with the highest level of collaboration toward the accomplishment of this mission with both army military corrections personnel and federal parole officers.


This is their website:



Army Review Boards Agency (ARBA)




Army Review Boards Agency (ARBA)