40 Tons Media
Pedro Moreno’s story is one of heartbreak and resilience, emblematic of the injustice faced by nonviolent drug offenders under the harsh policies of the 1990s – a time when nonviolent drug offenders were handed sentences so heavy that many remain locked up even as societal attitudes toward substances like marijuana have changed.
On November 19, 2025, Pedro will have spent 29 years behind bars, missing nearly three decades of family milestones: 29 Christmases, Thanksgivings, and even his daughter Alejandra’s wedding.
“Every day Pedro spends locked up is a reminder of how broken the system is,” says Corvain Cooper, who knows the weight of such sentences all too well. After receiving clemency for his own life sentence in 2021, Corvain adds, “No one should be serving life for something that’s now legal.”
Four of Pedro’s brothers, also involved in that same conspiracy case, received clemency from President Obama in 2017 and have since returned to their lives. His wife, Melba, served time as well, only to pass away a year after her release, not long after watching their daughter, Alejandra, graduate from college.
This is a heartbreaking reality that Pedro continues to endure, and it’s on us to take action and bring it to an end.
“This Is Not Life” is available now on YouTube. Courtesy of Maximilian Stafford/Ground Floor
A Daughter’s Struggle
Alejandra was just eight years old when federal agents tore her family apart in 1996. Both parents were incarcerated in a case driven by the era’s unforgiving “tough on crime” stance, and Alejandra was left to grapple with an unrelenting system. Since then, she has juggled motherhood, prison visits, and the emotional scars of her family’s separation.
When producer Maximilian Stafford discovered Pedro’s case through the CAN-DO Foundation, he knew it was a story that needed telling. Amy Povah, a former drug prisoner and clemency recipient under President Clinton, now leads the organization and works tirelessly to advocate for individuals like Pedro. Through her network, Stafford uncovered the full extent of Pedro’s case and the profound impact it had on Alejandra’s shattered family.
His documentary, This Is Not Life, captures the intergenerational impact of Pedro’s imprisonment and Alejandra’s resilience.
“We Know the Pain All Too Well”
“Seeing Alejandra’s strength reminds me of what so many families, including my own, have endured,” says Loriel Alegrete, CEO of 40 Tons. “Having had close family members, including my brothers and husband, incarcerated, I understand the deep pain of watching a loved one taken away. It’s a pain that lingers and changes you forever.”
Alejandra agreed to participate in the documentary project, “This Is Not Life”, available now on YouTube. She had grown used to facing her family’s struggles in private: raising her own children, dealing with the long-distance bureaucracy of prison visits and phone calls, and grappling with the memories of the day her life changed. Her decision to cooperate was fueled by the belief that opening up might spur conversations about sentencing reform—conversations that could eventually lead to clemency for her father. For years, she had already watched other families celebrate the early return of loved ones, including four of her own uncles, while Pedro remained behind bars with little legal recourse.
Pfeifer, Stafford, and a production crew film Alejandra as she visits the grave of her mother, Melba. Courtesy of Maximilian Stafford/Ground Floor
Stafford and his company, Ground Floor, traveled to Zapata with director Leo Pfeifer and a small production team, hoping to capture more than just a recounting of the details of Pedro’s case. They wanted to show how a single drug conviction, handed down decades earlier, continued to shape generations of one family. Alejandra’s eldest son, Norberto, had turned eight, the same age she had been when her parents were taken. This cycle became a core component of the film’s narrative. The crew documented Alejandra as she went about her daily life, from taking her children to school and cooking dinner, to revisiting old letters from her father or sifting through family photos from a time when everyone was still together. Each snapshot underscored how Pedro’s absence had rippled through birthdays, holidays, and, most upsettingly, Alejandra’s own wedding—a day he never got to see.
From the outset, Pfeifer understood the importance of centering Alejandra’s experiences rather than reducing her story to mere legal details. Everyday moments—like watching Alejandra guide her son through his homework or gently explain why his grandfather was not around—offered a look at how the aftershocks of a harsh sentence stretch far beyond the prison walls. Alejandra’s calm but strong mindset admirably protects her own children from the trauma she endured.
Stafford and Pfeifer also examined how the “war on drugs” and “tough on crime” policies of the 1990s resulted in disproportionately severe punishments, particularly for marijuana offenses. The passing of her mother, Melba, served as another heartbreaking reminder of time lost. After serving her own prison term, Melba was released but died only a year later—fortunate enough to see Alejandra receive her college diploma, but never living to see her husband freed.
When production wrapped in Zapata, Stafford and Pfeifer left with hours of footage capturing Alejandra’s resilience and the underlying longing for her father that never fades. Alejandra’s courage in confronting the past is set against a future where her father’s release remains uncertain, even as the larger culture continues to re-examine the policies that put him in prison in the first place.
Advocacy for Change
At 40 Tons, we share stories like Pedro’s because we believe no one should be forgotten or left behind. It’s just plain wrong. While the cannabis industry rakes in billions, people like Pedro are still serving life sentences for something that’s now legal. We can’t stand by and let this hypocrisy continue.
But talking about change isn’t enough; we back it up with action. Whether it’s through our Level Up career conferences, restorative justice initiatives, or advocating for clemency, we’re here to fight for equity and second chances. 40 Tons isn’t just a brand—it’s a movement. And we won’t stop until every last cannabis prisoner comes home.
Pedro Moreno’s story is not just about one man. It’s about an entire generation trapped by unjust policies. As Alejandra fights for her father’s release, she reminds us all of the urgency to right these wrongs. “We’ll keep pushing,” says Corvain. “For Pedro, for Alejandra, and for every family still waiting for justice.”
President Biden has less than a week to deliver on his promise of clemency for nonviolent cannabis offenders—and we all should hold him to it.
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