Press Release: Gov. Evers Grants 49 Pardons, Brings Total Pardons Granted to 498

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced today that he has granted another 49 pardons. As previously announced, the governor has granted more pardons during his first three years in office than any other governor in contemporary history. To date, the governor has granted 498 pardons.  

The Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board heard from applicants virtually on March 11, 2022, and March 25, 2022, and applications that were selected for expedited review or recommended by the Board were forwarded to Gov. Evers for final consideration.   

“There is power in redemption and forgiveness, especially for folks who’ve been working to move beyond their past mistakes to be productive, positive members of their communities,” said Gov. Evers. “I’m grateful for being able to give a second chance to these individuals who’ve worked hard to do just that.”

Gov. Evers granted pardons to the following people: 

• Katrina Allen was 22 when officers found controlled substances at her residence. Now over 24 years later, Allen resides in Fitchburg and works for a social services organization and the state.  
• Danielle Arrigo was 22 when she twice sold marijuana to a confidential informant. She now resides in Burlington with her daughter and has earned her associate degree. 
• Eric Asmus was 20 when he entered his local high school’s construction site and stole tools and vandalized the property with a group of friends. About a year later, the group broke into a liquor store to steal beer and a concession stand to steal candy. Now 20 years later, he resides in Fond du Lac with his family. 
• Corin Banks was 24 when he was found in possession of a controlled substance. Now 27 years later, he resides in Wauwatosa. 
• Michael Bartkowiak was 24 years old when he disrupted police officers breathalyzing underage drinkers at a concert and then resisted arrest. He now resides in Madison and works as a carpenter. 
• Robert Beasley was 39 when he was struggling with an undiagnosed mental health disorder and had several contacts with law enforcement including fleeing an officer, disorderly conduct, and bail jumping. Now two decades later, he resides in Greenwood, Mississippi, and has since obtained his master’s degree and serves as an advocate for the veteran community.  
• Dashun Beck was 23 when he deposited a fraudulent check into his account at a credit union. He now resides in Milwaukee, has obtained his associate and bachelor’s degrees, and works as an educator at a Catholic school while pursuing his master’s degree. 
• Jeremy Busch was 18 when he was pulled over for suspected drunk driving and police discovered he had been drinking and smoking marijuana. Now 22 years later, he resides in Genoa City and has obtained an associate and bachelor’s degree in the fields of civil engineering and architecture, graduating magna cum laude. 
• Yasmina Ayanna Carroll was 21 and a single mother when she used a stolen credit card to purchase a stereo. Now over two decades later, she resides in Glendale, Arizona, and has earned her certified nursing assistant (CNA) license and bachelor’s degree in human services focusing on addiction studies, graduating magna cum laude.  
• Melvin Collins was 18 when he and several friends robbed a gas station wielding a metal pipe and also twice went joyriding. Nearly three decades later, he now resides in Barron and works as a truck driver. 
• Harold Cross was 22 when he was found in possession of a controlled substance and several firearms. Now 20 years later, he resides in Milwaukee where he worked as a sanitation worker for the city for over 15 years. 
• Christina Darby was 22 when officers found marijuana in her home. She has since moved to California with her children, earned an associate degree, and works as a property manager. 
• Gary Davis, Jr. was around 20 years old when he was found in possession of marijuana and other controlled substances. Three decades later, he now resides in Madison and has worked as a youth/juvenile counselor with local social services organizations. The court supports his pardon. 
• Kathryn Diaz was 18 when she was the getaway driver for her boyfriend who robbed a video game rental store and she failed to cooperate with officers during the subsequent investigation. She now resides in Pleasant Prairie with her husband and two children. 
• Elizabeth Eklove was 23 when she forged her mother’s check to purchase Suboxone, a medication for opioid dependence. She now resides in Trevor, has remained sober, and works as a vocational coordinator in Illinois. Her pardon received support from the court, district attorney, and her mother.
• Jerome Getchell was 18 when he and two friends committed a string of burglaries, taking miscellaneous home goods, firearms, and other valuables. Three decades later, he now resides in Berlin and works in the trucking industry. 
• John Givens was in his mid-20s when he returned from military service overseas and committed several armed robberies in Milwaukee and Chicago. Nearly five decades later, he now resides in Madison and has dedicated his life to supporting formerly incarcerated individuals with both the state and community-based organizations. 
• Maenell Hendricks was 28 when she sold a controlled substance to an undercover officer. Now 22 years later, she resides in Milwaukee and has obtained her bachelor’s degree and MBA while raising five children. The court supports her pardon. 
• Adam Henning was 23 when he robbed a cash store with a weapon. He now resides in Milwaukee with his family and is pursuing a degree in psychology. 
• Henry Hong was 20 when he sold a controlled substance and was also found in possession of marijuana and a stolen pistol. He now resides in Raeford, North Carolina, where he owns a restaurant and has earned a master’s degree. 
• Mark Howard was 17 when he sold marijuana to an undercover officer. He now resides in Stevens Point with his family and works for a cheese manufacturer. The district attorney’s office supports his pardon. 
• Stephen Hynek was 37 when, 23 years ago, he was under financial stress and stole a tractor from an auction. He now resides in Hillsboro with his family and has owned a farm machinery business and operated his family’s farm for over 20 years. 
• John Jezuit was a teenager when he punched someone while on probation for selling marijuana. Nearly two decades later, he now resides in Madison and has earned his bachelor’s degree in social welfare. 
• Crystal Keller was 29 and serving jail time with Huber privileges when she left without permission and failed to return. She has since moved to California with her children and earned an associate degree in social science while volunteering for legal advocacy organizations. 
• Gregory Mallett was 23 when he was caught selling a controlled substance. Four decades later, he now resides in Milwaukee and has earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate in the business and finance fields. 
• Daniel Moeller was 18 when he and a friend broke into a bar to steal liquor and cash. Over three decades later, he now resides in New London and has maintained steady employment working as a millwright. 
• Chris Morgan was 20 when, nearly 40 years ago, he stole a car with the keys in the ignition and drove it to California to find a job. He received support from the victim for his pardon and now resides in Plover. 
• Luis Navarro was 28 when he trespassed on his ex-girlfriend’s home and continued to contact her while on probation. He now resides in Kenosha, was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps Reserves, and has maintained steady employment as a technical specialist for a major manufacturing company. His ex-girlfriend supports his pardon.
• Travis Nelson was 18 when he sold marijuana to a confidential informant. He now resides in Denmark with his family and founded his own trucking business over 13 years ago. 
• Lawrence Riche was 20 when officers found marijuana in his residence, and several years later, he was again found with marijuana, controlled substances, and firearms. Now 40 years later, he resides in Menomonee Falls, has remained sober, and has maintained long-term employment as a steamfitter. 
• Adrian Roberson was 22 when he broke into and robbed an individual in their apartment. He now resides in Milwaukee, has completed a welding program at Milwaukee Area Technical College, and enjoys teaching others his craft. 
• Felicia Robertson was 19 when she wrote a fraudulent check at the mall. Over three decades later, she now resides in Cudahy with her family and works as a personal care worker. 
• Phillip Roh, Jr. was 25 when he sold a controlled substance to a confidential informant. He now resides in Madison and works as an equipment manager for a local high school. 
• Terrance Ross was 19 and working at a rental car company when he began using one of the company’s vehicles without permission, resulting in the car sustaining minor damages. He now resides in Milwaukee and has worked as a technician for a cable company for 14 years. The district attorney’s office supports his pardon. 
• Daniel Schmidt was 17 when, almost 30 years ago, he ran away from home, forged two checks, and cashed them at a gas station. He now resides in Winneconne, where he actively volunteers in his community. The district attorney’s office supports his pardon. 
• William Schmidt was 18 when, 34 years ago, he and a group of friends ordered a pizza, took it from the delivery driver without paying, and stole his cash. He now resides in Brookfield with his family, is the owner of a concrete installation business, and is an ordained minister in Milwaukee. 
• Corey Schwamman was 19 when he drove two friends to a gas station and stayed in the car while his friends attempted to commit several robberies. Now 28 years later, he resides in Mosinee and works as a welder. 
• Benjamin Seipel was 21 when he was found with controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. He now resides in Mequon, has maintained his sobriety, and is the general manager of a wakeboard products manufacturer. 
• Myron Smith was 19 when he was pulled over and officers found him with controlled substances. He now resides in Milwaukee and founded a home healthcare agency with his wife. 
• James Sterner was 18 when he failed to pull over for an officer who recognized his car as unregistered. Now 25 years later, he resides in Ripon, volunteers locally, and works in utilities. 
• James Stevens was 17 when he used his employer’s master key to take a truck for a joyride, driving through a company fence. Nearly three decades later, he now resides in Merrill with his family and owns a successful tattoo shop. 
• Brian Taylor was 20 when he broke into several apartments, stealing cash, change, and prescription medications. He now lives in Griffin, Georgia, has maintained his sobriety, and works as a counselor for a faith-based boarding school for struggling teens. The district attorney’s office supports his pardon. 
• Catherine Tease was 19 when she worked at a shoe store and falsified refunds for herself. Nearly four decades later, she now resides in Manitowoc working as a health and well-being educator at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus. 
• Marsha Vann was 25 when she failed to return to the Milwaukee County House of Correction after being released for childcare purposes. Several years later, she robbed someone with a weapon, and 15 years later, again failed to return to the House of Correction after being granted work release. She now resides in Milwaukee, and since receiving treatment for substance use disorder, she has obtained an associate and bachelor’s degree and works in the drug treatment field. The district attorney’s office supports her pardon. 
• Joseph Vaughn was 19 when he found a checkbook in someone’s driveway and fraudulently cashed two checks. Four decades later, he now resides in Pleasant Prairie and volunteers with local sports and youth programs. The district attorney’s office supports his pardon. 
• Kristin Waite-Labott was 38 when she attempted to use a fraudulent prescription to obtain a medication. She now resides in Hales Corners, has had her nursing license reinstated, and works in healthcare, specifically helping other medical professionals who have struggled with substance use disorder. The district attorney’s office supports her pardon. 
• Joshua Webb was 18 when he broke into a dog daycare center with friends and stole cash. Several weeks later, he and his friends broke into a used car dealership, taking money, candy, and soda. He now resides in Pulaski and works as a team supervisor for a keg company. 
• Quentin Williams was 16 and driving a group of friends when an individual in a separate car made an obscene gesture, causing Williams to chase them and injure a pedestrian, who supports his pardon. Now 25 years later, Williams resides in Milton with his family. 
• Gary Wilson was 38 when he worked at U-Haul and used his credentials to enter the store after hours to steal money. He now resides in Milwaukee, working as an automotive technician and is an active member of his church. 

The Wisconsin Constitution grants the governor the power to pardon individuals convicted of a crime. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that restores rights lost when someone is convicted of a felony, including the right to serve on a jury, hold public office, and hold certain professional licenses. A pardon does not expunge court records. 

Under Executive Order #30, individuals convicted of a Wisconsin felony may apply for a pardon if they completed their sentence at least five years ago and have no pending criminal charges. Individuals currently required to register on the sex offender registry are ineligible for a pardon. Executive Order #130 established an expedited review process for applications that meet stricter criteria, including a greater length of time elapsed since sentence completion and nonviolent nature of the offenses. 

The pardon application, instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions about the pardon process can be found on the governor’s website at www.evers.wi.gov/pardons.

The Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board meets twice a month. The next meeting will take place on Fri., May 13, 2022. These hearings will air on wiseye.org/live and on YouTube from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.