Gov. Jared Polis commuted the sentences of eight felons Monday, including a man who defrauded investors — Polis himself among them — of more than $15 million.

William Hoover of Boulder was indicted on 48 counts of theft, pattern racketeering and securities fraud in 2003. He was convicted on all but four counts and sentenced to 100 years in prison, one of the longest sentences in state history for a white-collar crime. Hoover has served 15 years of the 100-year sentence.

In granting clemency, which would allow Hoover to be released March 1, Polis pointed out that he had been a victim of Hoover’s fraud. Hoover’s original release date was Oct. 13, 2024.

Polis said in his clemency letter that Hoover had founded Prisoners Against Drunk Driving, which works with individuals released from prison. In addition, Hoover has written letters to his victims that expressed “extreme remorse” for his crimes. Hoover is also elderly, according to Polis’ clemency letter, and has a strong support network awaiting him.

While Polis’ letter states Hoover had taken “full accountability” for his actions, whether he paid the full $15.4 million in restitution ordered by the court is unknown, although a settlement with his brokerage firm was estimated at $5 million. According to a 2005 Denver Business Journal article, four victims, who lost a total of $320,000, received restitution of a total of $12.

Whether Hoover paid Polis the restitution he owed the governor is also unknown.

In his clemency orders, Polis pardoned five individuals and commuted the sentences for three others, including Hoover.

Polis granted a pardon to Ingrid Escalada LaTorre, who was found guilty of criminal impersonation in Jefferson County in 2010. According to Polis’ letter, she is an undocumented immigrant; the criminal impersonation charge was tied to using false documents. In his letter, Polis said she had paid restitution and back taxes as well as completed her term of probation, He also noted she was helping to educate others on “legal ways to obtain employment and the consequences of using false documents.” LaTorre has been in sanctuary at a Boulder church since October 2017. She gave birth at that church in October.

In 2001, John Furniss of Moffat County pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell or distribute marijuana. In the pardon letter, Polis noted that Furniss was blind and without a sense of smell, due to an attempted suicide at age 16. In his letter seeking a pardon, Furniss said he was trying to cope with condition by medicating himself with marijuana.

Since his conviction, Furniss has attended school to learn woodworking and piano repair, and now rebuilds pianos. He is also a skilled artist, according to Polis’ letter.

Erik Jensen was one of two juveniles sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a first-degree murder conviction in 1999. He was 17 years old at the time. The U.S. Supreme Court has since ruled that sentencing juveniles to prison without the possibility of parole is unconstitutional. Last year, Gov. John Hickenlooper commuted the sentence of Jensen’s co-defendant, Nathan Ybanez, and he will be eligible for parole next December.

Since entering prison, Jensen has earned an associate’s degree from Indiana University and is working toward a bachelor’s degree. He also co-founded a faith-based counseling program and an addiction recovery program while in prison. Polis’ commutation of Jensen’s sentence means he is eligible for parole immediately and will be released by March 1, 2020.

Polis also commuted the sentence of Abron Arrington, who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Arrington, who is African-American, was not the murderer in the case but was an accomplice; the other defendants in the case have served their sentences and have been released.