Background

Jamal Lewis is a former running back who played in the NFL from 2000 to 2009, primarily with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns. He was drafted fifth overall in the 2000 NFL draft and was named the 2003 Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year. Lewis was a one-time All-Pro player and one-time Pro Bowler.

The Case

Lewis pleaded guilty in a federal drug case in which he used a cellphone to try to set up a drug deal. The incident occurred in June 2000, just months after he was drafted. An FBI informant contacted Lewis on his cellphone on June 23, 2000, to discuss selling cocaine to Lewis and his childhood friend Angelo Jackson. Lewis and Jackson met the informant at an Atlanta restaurant where they allegedly asked about cocaine distribution. No drugs were ever actually purchased or exchanged.

Lewis was indicted in February 2004 in the Northern District of Georgia on federal charges of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms of cocaine and using a cellphone in the conspiracy—charges that could have resulted in at least 10 years in prison. The charges emerged from a larger drug investigation into Atlanta's Bowen Homes public housing complex that resulted in more than 30 convictions and dismantled a major cocaine trafficking ring.

In October 2004, Lewis agreed to a plea bargain, pleading guilty to the lesser charge of using a cellphone to attempt to set up a drug deal. In January 2005, U.S. District Judge Orinda Evans sentenced him to four months in federal prison, plus two months in a halfway house and 500 hours of community service. The judge noted the government's weak case and that the only witness was an informant with a lengthy criminal record. Lewis's co-defendant Angelo Jackson received 37 months in prison.

Drug distribution operations contribute to addiction, fuel violence in communities, and undermine public safety. Cocaine trafficking networks harm communities by facilitating drug distribution and generating profits that often fund other criminal activities. The conduct undermined efforts to combat drug trafficking and protect public safety.

The Pardon

On February 12, 2026, President Trump granted Lewis a full pardon. The pardon was announced by White House pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson.

Sources

• DOJ Pardon Warrant (Feb 12, 2026)
• DOJ Clemency Grants
• Trump pardons 5 former NFL players for crimes ranging from perjury to drug trafficking (AP, Feb 2026)
• PRO FOOTBALL; Jamal Lewis Charged in Drug Case (New York Times, Feb 2004)
• Ravens running back Lewis sentenced to four months in federal drug case (Patriots.com, Jan 2005)
• Jamal Lewis hit by '00 drug case (Baltimore Sun, Feb 2004)