In an unexpected turn of events, a repeat offender, once labeled by federal prosecutors as a “danger to the community,” is poised for release following a sentence commutation signed by an autopen during the closing days of President Joe Biden’s term.
Oscar Freemond Fowler III, who had been serving a sentence of over 12 years after admitting guilt in 2024 to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and intent to distribute cocaine, is now on the brink of freedom. Prosecutors had strongly recommended a minimum sentence of 150 months, emphasizing his extensive criminal past and the threat he continued to pose to society.
Fowler’s release comes as part of a broader clemency initiative by the Biden administration, announced on January 17, 2025. This executive clemency grant saw the commutation of sentences for more than 2,500 inmates, a move aimed at providing relief to non-violent drug offenders. However, the inclusion of Fowler, whose criminal record is marked by violence, has drawn significant criticism.
The warrant effecting Fowler’s commutation, along with two other similar clemency documents, reportedly bore Biden’s autopen signature, raising questions about the process and its implications. While the administration defends the initiative as a necessary step toward justice reform, opponents, including the conservative group Oversight Project from the Heritage Foundation, have voiced concerns about the potential risks posed by releasing individuals like Fowler.
At 48 years old, Fowler, who has spent decades entangled in criminal activities, is scheduled for release on Thursday, February 19. His past is underscored by a 2013 booking photo from the Pinellas County Jail, a reminder of his long-standing legal troubles. In light of his impending release, the Oversight Project issued a cautionary advisory to Florida authorities, underscoring the possible dangers associated with Fowler’s return to the community.
The Oversight Project issued a warning to Florida officials this week about Fowler’s release.
“He is a dangerous criminal who’s supposed to be in jail for a very long time,” The Oversight Project President Mike Howell told Fox News Digital. “This is the exact person that should be in federal custody.”
The most serious allegations in Fowler’s past involve the death of Naykee Bostic in St. Petersburg, who was found with 25 gunshot wounds shortly after Fowler had been released from a previous federal stint in 2013. While Fowler was acquitted of the murder in 2017 after two prior mistrials, the Oversight Project points to a 2024 sentencing memorandum stating that Fowler made a video-recorded admission to the killing and expressed a willingness to use violence again.
Former President Joe Biden spoke to the paper’s reporters in a ten-minute phone call regarding the growing questions from President Donald Trump and GOP lawmakers about the legality of Biden’s pardons in the final days of his presidency, which were mostly signed using an autopen. (DOJ/Getty)
Howell said the case contradicts prior characterizations of the clemency actions as focusing on nonviolent offenders.
“We agree with the Biden administration’s own Justice Department officials who flagged that these people were violent,” Howell said. “Stop saying they’re nonviolent. The documents speak for themselves.”
Howell also questioned the legality of the autopen process.
“The president has said these autopen commutations are null and void,” Howell said. “DOJ had a choice to make, keep him in custody or release him, and they chose not to follow that direction.”
The Florida Attorney General’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
A framed image of an autopen in the White House. (Credit: White House)
The release of Fowler comes as House Oversight Committee GOP majority released a 100-page report in October 2025 detailing findings from its monthslong probe into Biden’s White House, specifically whether his inner circle covered up signs of mental decline, and if that alleged cover-up extended to executive actions signed via autopen without Biden’s full awareness.
“The Department of Justice should immediately conduct a review of all executive actions taken by President Biden between January 20, 2021, and January 19, 2025. Given the patterns and findings detailed herein, this review should focus particularly on all acts of clemency. However, it should also include all other types of executive actions.”
In an interview with The New York Times in July, Biden affirmed he “made every decision” on his own.
