The sentences for disgraced Bakersfield Police officers Damacio Diaz and Patrick Mara have been reduced by more than a year.
The two were sentenced to five years in prison for their roles in a drug ring while members of the Bakersfield Police Department. Each was scheduled to be released in 2021. Now, they're both scheduled to be released in 2020. The Bureau of Prisons did not provide information as to why each had their sentence reduced.
On Friday, the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed with 23ABC that Diaz is scheduled to be released June 14, 2020. His initial release date was June 14, 2021. He was given a 60-month sentence on Oct. 3 of 2016 by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California for "federal programs bribery, possession and attempted possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and making and subscribing a false income tax return."
Diaz was initially sent to Federal Correctional Institute Herlong in Northern California. He's been transferred to FCI Florence in Colorado. The Bureau of Prisons said "For safety, security and privacy reasons, we can not disclose specifics regarding inmate movement or transfers."
Mara was scheduled to be released May 28, 2021. His projected date of release is now May 28, 2020. He was also given a 60-month sentence in October of 2016. Mara was sentenced "for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine."
Mara was initially sent to Federal Correctional Institute Sheridan in Oregon. He's since been transferred to FCI La Tuna in Texas. It's not known why he was transferred.
