Gov. Brown signs Brandon Dixon's commutation.
Gov. Kate Brown Office
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown commuted the sentence of Brandon Dixon, 25, the day before he was set to be transferred to the Department of Corrections. Dixon had been incarcerated by the Oregon Youth Authority since he was 17 years old.
In 2010, Dixon committed several armed robberies, including ones at a Denny's restaurant and several convenience stores, over the course of 12 days while he was high on methamphetamine, according to a release from the governor's office. No one was physically hurt during the robberies. Dixon pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and theft, as well as three counts of second-degree robbery.
In an unusual move, Brown met in person with Dixon on Monday. Going into their meeting she hadn't yet decided whether to commute his sentence, according to a spokesman for the governor.
But after their meeting, Brown asked her deputy general counsel, Misha Isaak, for the paperwork, and signed it.
"Nobody expected the governor to sign it right then and there," said Bryan Hockaday, with the governor's office.
Isaak told Dixon to call his mom to pick him up, Hockaday said.
Hockaday said Isaak told Dixon, "you're free."
"Brandon has demonstrated sincere remorse," Brown said in a statement Tuesday. "He has transformed from, in his words, an 'unstable, unapologetic punk,' into a mature, hard-working, educated, humble, empathetic, and dependable role model to other incarcerated youth."
Dixon was sentenced to 15 years. During his time at OYA he earned his high school diploma, an associate's degree and is working towards his BA in business administration.
"He is an outstanding mentor on campus, highly regarded by both staff and his peers," said Christina Puentes, a staffer at OYA.
Brown's decision was supported by Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote, whose office prosecuted Dixon in 2010.
"We have been informed that Mr. Dixon has expressed complete and sincere accountability for his criminal conduct, unlike most offenders we see," Foote wrote in a letter to Brown.