Humberto Ramirez

Humberto "Berto" Ramirez is a New Jersey man whose incarceration became a widely discussed example of the contradictions between cannabis legalization and ongoing imprisonment for marijuana offenses.

Case Overview

Ramirez was arrested on February 19, 2019, after police stopped his vehicle in Middle Township, New Jersey and discovered approximately six pounds of cannabis in the trunk of his car.

He was charged with a second-degree marijuana offense related to possession with intent to distribute. Because Ramirez had two prior cannabis convictions from nearly two decades earlier, the case triggered stricter sentencing rules.

In November 2020, just days after New Jersey voters approved a referendum legalizing adult-use cannabis, Ramirez was sentenced to seven years in state prison with a mandatory minimum of two years.

In September 2022, Ramirez was released from prison as he was granted parole. Donte West navigated this release with Humberto Ramirez's wife, Brooke Anne. We conducted a meeting with Gov. Phil Murphy's senior advisor, Rev. Derrick Green, who took the parole packet to parole officials for review.

He was subsequently reunited with his family after serving part of his sentence. His wife, Brooke Anne, described the moment as emotional, saying the family was finally able to return to everyday life together.

Ramirez's release was celebrated by cannabis justice advocates as an important step toward addressing the remaining harms of marijuana prohibition.