A felon from Nebraska, whose sentence was shortened by former President Joe Biden earlier this year, has been taken back into custody facing new federal charges. This follows a mass shooting that occurred in downtown Omaha just a few months after his release.
Kyre Holbert, 31, has been charged with possession of a firearm as a felon related to an incident on October 4 in Omaha’s Old Market area, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Nebraska. The case has reignited debate over the Biden administration’s pardoning decisions, particularly since Holbert reoffended less than a year after getting out.
In 2018, he pleaded guilty to three federal offenses and received a 20-year sentence. His sentence was commuted in January 2025, despite objections from federal prosecutors who raised concerns about Holbert’s gang involvement and extensive criminal history.
The Omaha Police Officers Association criticized the commutation, declaring that Holbert is “not above the law.” They noted that he was sentenced for serious gun and drug offenses and should not have been released so soon.
Federal prosecutors have indicated that the firearm involved in the October shooting is linked to a series of violent crimes throughout Nebraska earlier this year. It appears that Holbert had tried to dispose of the weapon before it was located by the police, and his fingerprints were found on it.
This situation has drawn sharp criticism from federal authorities, with U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stating that the commutation was a failure to hold criminals accountable. She lamented the impact on victims’ families, emphasizing that crime has consequences.
U.S. Attorney Leslie Woods echoed these concerns, noting that Holbert’s premature release posed a risk to the community. Woods asserted that keeping violent gang members incarcerated is a priority for the federal government.
FBI Special Agent Eugene Cowell remarked on the agency’s ongoing commitment to dismantling gangs and protecting communities, asserting that public safety from violent criminals is their primary concern.
Holbert had served about seven years of his original sentence before being released. He currently faces both state and federal charges, including first-degree assault at the state level. The Douglas County Attorney’s Office plans to coordinate with the Nebraska U.S. Attorney’s Office for the prosecution.
