A convicted drug dealer whose life sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama is back behind bars after his arrest in connection with a Chicago-area shooting.
Mills, 54, was convicted of several crimes related to the distribution of cocaine in 1994.
The Illinois man had previously been convicted of crack cocaine possession, meriting him a life sentence, the New York Post reported.
However, Obama signed off on Mills’ release in December 2015, according to a Justice Department news release. He was released the following December.
Progressive Democrats — such as Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren — heralded the move, arguing Mills’ life sentence had been unfair.
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Durbin, who had asked Obama to look into the commutation, even used a picture of Mills to promote the First Step Act, a prison release law signed by former President Donald Trump in 2018.
The life story of Chicagoan Alton Mills shows why we need to pass the #FirstStepAct. Alton, who received a pardon from President Obama in 2015, was destined to spend his life in prison. He’s now a contributing member of society. #cjreform pic.twitter.com/QZxvYkmK6t
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) December 18, 2018
This time, Mills is being detained on three attempted murder charges that could land him back in prison for life.
The Illinois State Police arrested Mills in connection with a Sunday shooting on an Interstate 57 entrance ramp in the town of Posen, according to a news release from the agency.
Mills is accused of opening fire at another vehicle in what could amount to a road rage crime.
𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐌𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑
The public is reminded that all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
### pic.twitter.com/BFgFYkoL6L— IllinoisStatePolice (@ILStatePolice) May 17, 2023
One victim of the shooting — a backseat passenger of the vehicle struck with gunfire — sustained life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital.
Prosecutors have indicated that the woman hurt in the shooting is in a brain-dead state and is not expected to survive, according to CWB Chicago.
Mills is being held at the Cook County Jail without bond.
He is scheduled for a court appearance on June 1, Fox News reported.
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