Oversight Project Warns Florida Officials of Release of Violent Felon With Autopen Commutation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2026
Washington, D.C.– The Oversight Project issued a warning to Members of the Florida Republican Congressional delegation, state leadership, the Florida Public, and the Trump Administration that a violent, repeat offender and career criminal is set to be released from federal prison today. The Biden Autopen gave an illegitimate commutation to Oscar Fowler III who pleaded guilty to federal drugs and weapons charges in 2024. Mr. Fowler received an initial sentence of 12-and-a-half years in federal prison. Despite President Trump declaring such illegitimate autopen actions as “null and void,” Fowler is set to come home today after serving less than two years of that sentence.
In the 2024 drug case, the United States submitted a Sentencing Memorandum to support its request for the 12-and-a-half year prison sentence. The Sentencing Memorandum lays out Mr. Fowler’s extensive criminal history in horrifying detail.
Mr. Fowler has a long criminal history dating back to age 12, when he began accumulating offenses. Between 1988 and 1991, he was adjudicated delinquent for 13 crimes, including possession of cocaine, grand theft auto, assault, battery of a school employee, battery on a law enforcement officer, and battery. In June 2000, he was arrested in Florida on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, shooting into a building, felon in possession of a firearm, and aggravated assault. While those charges were pending, a federal grand jury indicted him for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine base (May 1996 – June 2000). He pleaded guilty in both cases and received 10 and 14 year sentences.
Mr. Fowler was released from federal custody on June 11, 2013. On July 28, 2013 the body of Naykee Bostic was found in St. Petersburg, riddled with 25 bullets. After standing trial for Bostic’s murder three times, including a hung jury and a mistrial, a jury acquitted Fowler of the murder in 2017. He later admitted on camera to the killing and expressed willingness to kill again. Prosecutors played the video confession at Fowler’s 2024 drug sentencing.
In October 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Fowler’s home, recovering cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, over $5,000 in cash, and a semiautomatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine with 29 rounds of ammunition. He pleaded guilty to the two charges on January 4, 2024 and began his latest prison sentence in April 2024.
Fowler’s commutation was included in a batch of over 2,500 autopenned clemency recipients signed by the Biden autopen on January 17, 2025. The Biden White House issued a statement from President Biden saying the clemency recipients are non-violent drug offenders. That is a lie. A top official in the Biden Justice Department raised serious legal concerns about Fowler’s clemency warrant the day after it was issued, calling it “highly problematic.”
President Trump has made it clear that any pardons and commutations made by the Biden Autopen are null and void of no other force or effect. Yet his administration continues to release violent felons with fake autopen pardons.
Mike Howell, President of the Oversight Project offered the following quote:
“Law and order means not releasing violent criminals with fake autopen commutations back onto the streets of Florida. Oscar Fowler is a danger to the people of Florida. . He’s dealt drugs his whole life, served multiple federal prison sentences, and admitted to killing someone. These are the types of criminals that are being released by Joe Biden’s autopen during the Trump Administration. Fowler’s not the first, and will not be the last, as we keep warning over and over again. We sent this urgent message to Florida’s elected leaders to alert them of this imminent public safety threat. It’s time for the Department of Justice to follow the President’s orders and to stop treating illegitimate autopen edicts as valid.”
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Read more:
Florida Officials Warned As Convicted Felon Slated for Release Under Biden Commutation
Other Violent Criminals Released by Biden Autopen