Trump pardons local activist Syrita Steib-Martin

By Tiffany Baptiste | January 20, 2021 at 6:19 PM CST - Updated January 20 at 7:56 PM

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - As President Donald Trump gave out pardons on his last day in office, one pardon went to a local woman who served nearly 10 years in federal prison.

Since Syrita Stieb-Martin’s release, she has worked to help other former inmates succeed.

In 2016, FOX 8 profiled Steib and the organization she co-founded “Operation Restoration”.

Steib plead guilty and served time for burglary of a car in Texas where she told her accomplice to burn it down at the young age of 19.

While she had completed her sentence and changed her life, Steib was still responsible for monthly payments on nearly $2 million in restitution as part of her sentence.

The pardon now removes that burden and she says that it truly provides her with a fresh start for her family.

“I know my step is a little lighter, my smile is a little bigger. I always, you known, talked about. I wrote a paper not too long ago about the restitution being a new life sentence because you know, at age 19 I was given this $1.9 million restitution,” says Steib.

She and her organization played an important role in making Louisiana one of the first states to pass legislation to remove the box on college applications where prospective students must reveal their criminal record.

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Source: https://www.fox8live.com/2021/01/21/trump-pardons-local-activist-syrita-steib-martin/