Denver Broncos

President Obama commutes prison sentence of Demaryius Thomas' grandmother

Published Aug. 3, 2016 4:55 p.m. ET

foxsports

President Barack Obama commuted the prison terms of 214 non-violent drug offenders Wednesday, including Minnie Pearl Thomas, who is the grandmother of Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Pearl Thomas received a life sentence for running a cocaine ring in Georgia with her daughter, Katina Stuckey Smith, who is Demaryius Thomas' mother. Pearl Thomas has spent the past 16 years in a federal prison in Tallahassee, Fla., and is set to be released Dec. 1, according to the Department of Justice.

Obama commuted Smith's 20-year prison sentence last July, and she was released in November.

Demaryius Thomas took to Twitter to thank the president.

Wanna Thank the @POTUS for everything he's done for my family, and a lot more families giving them second chances. Couldn't be a better day!
— Demaryius Thomas (@DemaryiusT) August 3, 2016

Smith started a petition in April to have her 60-year-old mother released, admitting in the petition that both of them "made mistakes" in the past.

"My mom and I made mistakes by getting involved with drugs," Smith wrote on the petition. "We regret it and have each paid dearly for it. But neither of us deserved the long sentences we received. Because I refused to testify against my mother, I received a 20-year mandatory sentence because I did not give 'substantial assistance' to the prosecution."

Demaryius Thomas personally thanked Obama for commuting his mother's sentence when the Broncos were honored at the White House for winning the Super Bowl. Thomas also spoke to the president about his grandmother.

"I still remember when we were at the White House," said Demaryius Thomas, via the Denver Post. "I was talking about my mom and saying thank you, and the fact that he mentioned my grandmother, I knew something was going to happen. ... I'm happy. I'm excited. In the past two years, I've got my grandmother and my mother out."

Smith attended the Steelers-Broncos divisional playoff game last December, the first time she saw her son play in person.