RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Pat McCrory granted pardons on Friday to two men who completed their sentences at least 30 years ago and have each become parts of their respective communities.
McCrory's office announced that pardons were granted to Linwood Paul Britton, 52, of Edenton and Richard Allen Brown, 58, of Panama City.
At age 17, Britton pleaded guilty in 1979 to armed robbery of a store in Edenton and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. While in prison, he earned his GED and took classes in electrical wiring.
Britton joined a work release program at a local peanut company and has been with the firm ever since. He is currently vice president of plant operations.
In 1974, the 18-year-old Brown pleaded guilty in Guilford County to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. He received a five-year suspended sentence and a $1,500 fine.
Brown's suspended sentence was terminated the next year so he could enlist in the U.S. Navy, where he served for 30 years. He rose to the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer, and also served as a U.S. Navy SEAL.
After retiring from the Navy in 2005, Brown worked as a private contractor for the U.S. State Department's Antiterrorism Assistance Program and the Department of Homeland Security.