Patriot Act affects ex-con from NebraskaTHE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LINCOLN, Neb. -- An ex-convict from Nebraska says his drug conviction 16 years ago is hurting his ability to find construction jobs because, under the Patriot Act, he can't work as many federal contracts.
Bruce Lingenfelter, a former University of Nebraska football player, asked state officials for a pardon Thursday, but the state Board of Pardons declined.
Only in "very, very unusual cases" does the board give a pardon to a person convicted of selling drugs, Gov. Mike Johanns said.
"Those folks must be upstanding citizens for 15 to 20 years from the end of their prison sentence, or longer," Johanns said as the three-member board unanimously denied Lingenfelter's pardon request, saying he hadn't been out of prison long enough.
After serving three years in prison on the drug conviction, Lingenfelter said he has moved on to a new life in Washington state's Puget Sound area, without drugs and without criminal activity.
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