It seems that numerous high profile criminals are able to gain their freedom because of the pandemic.
Fyre fest scammer Billy McFarland is the latest person to request to be released early due to COVID-19 is. He believes that since Tekashi 69 was released, he has the right to also be set free.
His lawyers added that he was considered a candidate for home confinement beginning in 2021 being a non-violent offender.
“Mr. McFarland is not a risk to the community nor a threat to public safety,” the letter reads. “The crime to which he pled guilty for was the non-violent financial crime of wire fraud. However, he is a low risk of recidivism for such financial crimes as he has explained that he has a supportive family that has attested to providing for his basic needs.”
Billy’s attorney’s sent a letter to New York Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald requesting that he be released due to his pre-existing medical conditions. They want him to be in-home confinement where there will be a smaller risk of him getting the virus.
“Mr. McFarland has informed us that he has pre-existing conditions that make contracting Covid-19 easier, and which increase his potential to suffer severe health issues and death if he does so, including being diagnosed with asthma as a teenager,” his lawyers wrote. “Further, he has informed us that he was diagnosed on the ‘extreme’ scale of the allergy spectrum, for issues related to breathing and his cardiovascular system, and that he has experienced heart issues since his early 20’s.”
They pointed out that Billy is non-violent and was already going to be considered for home-confinement in 2021.
“Mr. McFarland is not a risk to the community nor a threat to public safety. The crime to which he pled guilty for was the non-violent financial crime of wire fraud. However, he is a low risk of recidivism for such financial crimes as he has explained that he has a supportive family that has attested to providing for his basic needs.”
