U.S. President Donald Trump sentencing former Chicago gang leader Larry Hoover on Wednesday. Hoover has served his sentence after state and federal convictions for the past fifty years.

Due to his federal conviction, Hoover is currently incarcerated at the ADX Florence Prison, officially known as the largest prison administration facility in the United States, located in Florence, Colorado.

Commuting sentences mean reducing their length or severity, or ending completely. The U.S. president has the right to commute to a federal verdict, but there is no state penalty.

This is what we know.

Who is Larry Hoover and why is his verdict commuting?

Hoover, 74, is the co-founder of the gangster disciples of one of Chicago's most powerful gangs.

According to a copy of the documents seen by the Chicago Tribune, the Trump administration took into account "no further fines, compensation, probation or other conditions" and ordered his federal verdict to be released immediately.

Hoover's lawyers said the order was a testament to their attempt to reduce client judgments.

Attorneys Jennifer Bonjean and Justin Moore said in a statement: “The court showed a total reluctance to consider Mr. Hoover’s substantial growth and full recovery. Although the court was reluctant to do the right thing, Mr. Hoover was still able to show through official officials of many advocates and supporters.

The pardon for Hoover has continued since Trump appointed Alice Johnson as the "pardonation of the Tsar" in February. Johnson, a nonviolent drug offender, was sentenced to life imprisonment in a drug conspiracy case but was pardoned by Trump in 2020.

What has Hoover been convicted?

Hoover has been convicted on state charges and federal charges. Federal crime is an act that violates the U.S. Constitution and may span multiple states, and state crime is a crime that violates state laws.

In 1973, he was found guilty of being charged in Illinois in 1973 for murdering 19-year-old drug dealer William "Pooky" Young and sentenced to 200 years in prison.

Online state prison records show that Hoover has been a prisoner at the Dickson Correctional Center in western Illinois since 1974. He was accused of continuing to mentor the gangsters from prison.

In 1997, Hoover was convicted of federal blackmail, federal drug conspiracy and continuing to engage in criminal businesses. According to his attorney, Hoover has been in solitary confinement in ADX Florence, the highest security prison in Colorado.

What crimes are involved in gangster disciple gangs?

According to court documents, Hoover was one of the leaders of the gang between 1970 and 1995. The documents state that under Hoover, the gangster disciples sold “a large amount of cocaine, heroin and other drugs” in Chicago.

As of 1995, the gang was believed to have 30,000 members in Chicago and has spread to 35 other states, according to an article published by the U.S. Department of Justice.

However, little is known about the activities of gangster disciples in recent years.

What are the conditions for ADX Florence Prison?

ADX Florence in Colorado is the Super Max Prison, or the highest prison in the administration department, and the highest level of control unit prison.

The prison opened in 1994. The prisoners were detained in isolation, in a 12 x 7-foot (3.6 x 3.6 x-2 meters) cell with thick concrete walls that were invisible to each other. The prisoner slept on a thin mattress on a concrete slab. These cells also have sinks, toilets and automatic showers.

Prisoners may be able to use television, books, or art materials. Human interactions in ADX prisons are very limited.

Can Larry Hoover leave jail now?

No, Hoover is still serving 200 years in prison after the 1973 Illinois murder.

It is unclear whether or when Hoover can be moved to another prison (for example, the Dixon Correctional Center, Illinois's Medium Security Prison, opened in 1983), and now his federal conviction has been commuted to conquer his national beliefs. In the past, officials from the Illinois Department of Corrections recommended that Hoover be on safety grounds, citing safety issues.

Is Hoover eligible for parole?

Dixon Correctional Center online records say Hoover won't be eligible for parole until October 2062, when he is 111 years old. It is not clear whether his parole date can be increased.

According to the U.S. Congress website, the president's lenient reserves are used for federal crimes, not state crimes, so Trump cannot intervene. The power to commit crimes in the state depends on the hands of the state governor. Illinois governor, JB Pritzker, Democrat, has not spoken about Hoover so far, nor has any plans to grant him a leniency.

What role does the public figure play in this situation?

Performer Ye (formerly Kanye West) has long advocated for Hoover's pardon. In 2018, during Trump's first term, Ye asked Trump to pardon Hoover. On Ye's 2021 album, Donda's track "Jesus Lord" has a vocal clip from Hoover's son Larry Hoover Jr, thank you for bringing up the father's case in the Oval Office. “My father, Mr. Larry Hoover Sr,” said junior Hoover.

Rapper Drake also advocates Hoover's freedom. In 2021, Ye and Drake put personal tensions aside and collaborated on the “Free Hoover” concert in Los Angeles.

“Word can’t thank our lasting Donald Trump for the faithful president who releases Larry Hoover,” Ye posted on X after a change date.

Words can’t thank our faithful lasting president Donald Trump for releasing Larry Hoover

-Ye (@kanyewest) May 28, 2025

Why is Trump going to pardon people now?

The reason why Hoover's turnover is not clear yet. But this is in a series of commuters and pardons granted by Trump.

On Wednesday, Trump issued a pardon for former Republican Congressman Michael Grimm, who was convicted of tax fraud in 2015 and sentenced to several months in prison.

On Tuesday, the president pardoned reality TV couple Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were sentenced to evade taxes and cheat at least $30 million in banks in 2022.