John Cooley was sentenced to life in federal prison in 2004 for leading one of Erie’s largest crack rings. He got reprieve under First Step Act, meant to address racial disparities in drug cases.
Erie Times-News
- John Cooley was 47 when he was described as a drug kingpin and sentenced to life in U.S. District Court in Erie
- Cooley, now 67, spent years seeking early release under federal First Step Act
- With his early release, he joins Erie’s other convicted drug kingpin, Carl Anthony Knight, in getting life sentence reduced
The second defendant from Erie to be sentenced to life in federal prison as a convicted drug kingpin has won early release, joining the first kingpin in getting a massive sentencing break.
After years of considering the case, a judge has reduced the life sentence for the latest defendant, John Cooley, and ordered him freed from prison.
Cooley’s release follows that of Erie resident and convicted drug kingpin Carl Anthony Knight, who got out of prison in 2021 despite an original sentence of life in a separate case.