ROMA – President Obama shortened the sentences of four Roma men on Wednesday.  

Cesar Moreno Sr., Eduardo Moreno, Lazaro Moreno and Luis Moreno were accused of drug and money laundering charges in 1996.

In 2001, the Moreno brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the change for parole. They were four of 79 people accused in connection to a drug trafficking group based in Starr County.

Court records state more than 750,000 pounds of marijuana, coming from Mexico, was sold by the group over a 10-year period.

It’s believed the group moved large amounts of drugs to cities like Houston, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta for more than a decade. Court documents show more than 100 people joined the operation over the years.

President Obama’s decision to commute their sentences will allow them to return to Roma more than 20 years after their capture.

Most of those prisoners were convicted on drug charges. During his presidency, Obama has commuted the sentences of 1,385 people.

That is more than the total number of commutations issued by the past 12 presidents combined.