Sentence for persistent drug offender commuted

Governor Jay Nixon has commuted the sentence for Jeff Mizanskey, who has been serving a life sentence with no parole for drug offenses. This means Mizanskey is eligible for parole consideration. Missouri Department of Corrections spokesman David Owens tells ABC 17 a parole hearing will be set sometime this summer.

Mizanskey was convicted in 1996 for possession of a controlled substance. Because of his prior drug convictions, Mizanskey was sentenced as a persistent offender, which under the law at the time meant life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Legislation was introduced this past session that would have allowed anyone on Mizanskey’s situation to go free, but it was not passed.

In addition to the commutation of Mizanskey’s sentence, Nixon granted pardons to five non-violent offenders.