Today, Tommy Lowmon, City of Blackshear’s Hometown Manager and Economic Development Director, sits behind his desk in an office located just inside City Hall. Numerous awards and certificates highlighting his career achievements and successes decorate the wall to his right. But life hasn’t always been this promising for Lowmon. Almost fifteen years ago Lowmon sat in a dramatically different place.
In April 2000, Lowmon was seated at the defendant’s table in Superior Court of Pierce County facing a judge and a charge of Armed Robbery. The judge would eventually accept Lowmon’s guilty plea to the lesser included
offense of Robbery by Sudden Snatch. Lowmon was subsequently sentenced to serve five years probation under Georgia’s First Offender Act.
When he reflects on the circumstances which led to his legal troubles, Lowmon accepts responsibility for his actions and inactions and says, “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and I didn’t report it.” He added that this mistake was a definite setback to his life and his hopes of any real future success.
A few months prior to the end of his probation, the court adjudicated Lowon guilty and terminated the remainder of his sentence. From that point forward, Lowmon turned over a new leaf and never looked back. He became an entrepreneur and, for several years, owned his own print company which he later sold to pursue other interests. Following the conclusion of his sentence, Lowmon continued to live a life free of criminal activity.
After maintaining his current position for several years, Lowmon still desired to advance his professional career even further. He was well aware, however, that his past legal trouble could be a potential setback on the path to continued career success.
“I always knew it would probably come back up," said Lowmon. He added that he was very cognizant of his criminal record and the negative impact it could have had on his future career plans. With that probability in mind, Lowmon said, “I wanted to have something positive reflected on the record as well."
So, in the Fall of 2013, Lowmon decided to step out on faith and make application for a pardon and restoration of firearms rights with the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. After reviewing and considering Lowmon’s application, the Board agreed to issue the pardon and to also restore his firearms privileges.
When asked what kind of impact receiving a pardon has had on his professional life, Lowmon said, “Each [pardon] the Parole Board grants gives guys a second wind so they can continue to pursue whatever goals they had in life.”
And with that second wind, Lowmon is running full-speed ahead. In 2013, he served as vice-president of Georgia’s Downtown Business Association and, in 2014, he was elected president. In 2014 he was also selected to serve with the Young Gamechangers. Young Gamechangers is a community improvement group which consists of young business men and women under the age of forty.
In spite of all the progress Lowmon has made over the past several years, he’s not blinded by the bright lights of his personal successes. He believes it’s important to give back through service to his community and he’s also sharing his story with other men who find themselves facing similar legal challenges through the faith-based program, Men of the Way Ministries.
“I tell them that this is possible. A lot of them don’t believe that it’s possible. I tell any guys looking to apply for a pardon, just keep the faith because it can happen”, said Lowmon. He went on to say, “with this pardon, the sky's the limit.”
In FY 2014, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles reviewed over 1,040 pardon applications. Of that number, approximately 980 were granted.
A pardon is an order of official forgiveness and is granted to those individuals who have maintained a good reputation in their community following the completion of their sentence(s). It does not expunge, remove or erase the crime from an individual’s record. It may serve as a means for a petitioner to advance in employment or education.
For more information on pardons or restoration of rights, simply click on the photo on page 17.
pardon gives ex-offender's career a "Second wind"
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