Tony Lewis, Sr. went to jail on drug charges in his late 20s. He was supposed to spend the rest of his life in a jail cell, never getting a taste of freedom again. In March, his life took another dramatic turn.
On April 15, 1989, more than two dozen people were rounded up in D.C., accused of running a massive crack cocaine operation in the region, including Lewis, Sr. That day in 1989 was his last day as a free man - until now - 34 years later.
Tony and his son, Tony Lewis, Jr., spoke with WUSA9 about regaining his freedom. It's a moment the father and son have been dreaming of for decades, even with the elder Lewis' sentence.
He was sentenced to life without parole.
"It's a slow death sentence, actually. That's what life without parole in the federal prison system is. They don't want to use those terms, but it's a slow death," Leiws, Sr. said.
Lewis, Sr. was 26 at the time. His son was only 8 years old.
"My mother sat me down and said, 'You need to write him. He needs you. He needs you now.' The backdrop to that, my father was a very present, doting father," Lewis, Jr. said.
The bond between father and son was unbreakable, despite barriers. Lewis, Sr. was worried about his son's safety - navigating life in D.C. during the seemingly inescapable crack crisis, and poverty, but also because his former partner, drug kingpin Rayful Edmond III became a federal informant.
Lewis, Sr. said he hasn't kept tabs on Edmond.
"We were in touch somewhat, until he became an informant for the government and that was it with that," Lewis, Sr. said. "I was somewhat surprised with that occurring."
Still, Lewis, Sr. said all he could think about was protecting his son.
"I think his greatest fear was me joining him. He never wavered from, 'This was essentially hell and I would never want you to come here and these are the steps that you have to take to not come here,'" Lewis, Jr. said.
Instead, the younger Lewis focused on getting his father back home. He organized multiple rallies and a Free Tony Lewis campaign that went on for years. His argument was his father's sentence was unfair and excessive for a violent offender.
"I broke the law. I understand that. I should have gone to prison, but not for the rest of my life for a non-violent drug offense," Lewis, Sr. said. "I sincerely apologize to D.C. residents and I thank them for forgiving me."
He was ultimately freed because of a policy established during the Trump administration focused on fair sentences, rehabilitation and second chances.
Lewis, Jr. delivered the news to his dad, still hoping it wasn't a dream.
"I send him an email that said, 'Big boy, I'm coming to get you on Monday.' He hit me back like, 'Are you projecting?'"
Since then, it's been more than a week of reuniting with his family, grandkids, friends and his community.
"We're nine days into this and in the morning, he's going with me to take my kids to school and I'm like, 'Is this dude really in the car with me," Lewis, Jr. said.
"I think the same thing. I look back at the girls and I'm like one of my dreams is coming true," Lewis, Sr. said.
He said he is ready to get to work for his community, he has a job lined up, and he's also hoping to amplify his story to keep others from going down the wrong path. As he put it, his jail cell is empty and he wants to keep it that way.
READ MORE: www.wusa9.com/article/news/lo...
28 мар 2023
