Florida Attorney General James Usmeyer on Monday announced the arrest of repeat offender Oscar Fowler, whose federal sentence was commuted in the final days of the Biden administration.
Fowler was taken into custody at the St. Petersburg Police Department on February 23, 2026, and is currently facing multiple state charges, including two counts of intent to sell a controlled substance and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Officials say the state charges mirror federal crimes for which Fowler was previously convicted.
Fowler was serving a 12-and-a-half year federal prison sentence before it was commuted near the end of President Biden’s term through the use of automatic signatures, state officials said.
Federal government commuting review underway
Attorney General Usmayer said the arrests mark the beginning of a broader review of federal pardon decisions affecting Florida.
“The Biden administration’s use of autopens is putting Floridians at risk by allowing dangerous felons to return to our streets,” Usmayer said in a statement. “I have directed the State Attorney’s Office to review all automatic commutations and pardons by the Biden Administration that impact Florida. If we can bring charges at the state level, we will work with all levels of government to do so.”
Usmayer previously directed the state’s attorney general’s office to investigate the details of Fowler’s reduced sentence and determine whether state-level prosecution is viable.
Multi-agency investigation
The arrests followed a joint investigation involving the St. Petersburg Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Tampa Field Division, State Attorney Bruce Bartlett of the 6th Judicial Circuit, and all Florida prosecutors’ offices.
St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said Fowler’s arrest improved public safety.
“Oscar Fowler must be held accountable for his actions, and his arrest is an important step in protecting our community,” Holloway said. “St. Petersburg is safer with him off our streets.”
Cheryl Harrell, acting special agent in charge of ATF’s Tampa Field Division, said federal authorities will continue to assist state and local partners.
“ATF is proud to have played a role in keeping this notoriously violent criminal behind bars in 2024,” Harrell said. “We will continue to support our local, state and federal partners to keep America and communities across Florida safe.”
potential sentence
Fowler has a criminal history spanning more than 10 years, officials said. If convicted of the new state charges, he faces up to 45 years in prison in the Florida Department of Corrections.
State officials said the case reflects Florida’s determination to pursue prosecutions to the fullest extent of the law, even when federal clemency decisions change previous convictions.
