Charlie Tan will not become eligible for parole at any point, because the federal prison system does not offer parole for crimes committed after November 1, 1987. He is serving a 20-year federal sentence imposed in November 2018 for firearms offenses tied to the 2015 killing of his father, and the Bureau of Prisons currently projects his release around mid-2034 after credit for time served and anticipated good conduct reductions.
Why Federal Parole Doesn’t Apply
The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 abolished parole for anyone convicted of a federal offense committed after November 1, 1987.1United States Department of Justice. United States Parole Commission Tan’s crimes occurred in 2015. No parole board will review his file, hold a hearing, or vote on his release. That is a real difference from most state systems, where a board can grant discretionary release once an inmate has served a portion of the sentence.
In the federal system, the sentence the judge announces is close to the sentence the defendant serves. The only levers that shorten federal prison time are administrative credits for good behavior and program participation. Tan’s path out of prison runs through those calculations, not through any parole process.
How the Mid-2034 Release Date Is Built
The projected release around mid-2034 reflects two adjustments to the 20-year term: credit for time Tan spent in custody before his November 19, 2018 sentencing, and projected good conduct time.
Federal law lets inmates serving more than a year earn up to 54 days of good conduct credit for each year of the sentence imposed, so long as they maintain exemplary compliance with prison rules.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3624 – Release of a Prisoner On a 20-year sentence, that caps out at 1,080 days, roughly three years off the back end. The credits are not automatic. The Bureau of Prisons assesses compliance each year, and disciplinary infractions can strip credits that were already earned.
The First Step Act, signed in December 2018, changed the math slightly in inmates’ favor. Before the Act, the 54 days per year were calculated against time actually served. After the change, they are calculated against the sentence imposed by the court.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3624 – Release of a Prisoner The Bureau of Prisons updates projected release dates over time to reflect credits earned and any disciplinary issues, so the mid-2034 figure is a projection, not a fixed date.
First Step Act Earned Time Credits
The First Step Act also created a separate credit system for inmates who complete recidivism-reduction programs, educational courses, and vocational training. These earned time credits can move an inmate into a Residential Reentry Center (a halfway house) or home confinement for the final stretch of the sentence.3Federal Bureau of Prisons. An Overview of the First Step Act
Not every inmate qualifies. The Bureau of Prisons keeps a list of disqualifying offenses, weighted toward violent crimes, terrorism-related offenses, and certain drug trafficking charges. Tan pleaded guilty under 18 U.S.C. § 924(h) and § 922(a)(6). Those sections do not appear on the current disqualifying list, which for Chapter 44 firearms offenses specifically excludes only § 924(c) violations.4Federal Bureau of Prisons. Good Time Disqualifying Offenses That suggests he may be eligible, though the Bureau makes eligibility determinations case by case. Even where these credits apply, they usually affect where the final months are served rather than trimming years off the total.
Attempts to Shorten the Sentence
Tan has already tried once. His attorneys argued that his original counsel was ineffective at sentencing for failing to present the full history of domestic violence in the household and how that abuse shaped his actions. Judge Frederick Scullin denied the motion, and the 20-year sentence stayed in place.
Two narrow options remain. The first is compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c), which lets a court reduce a sentence for “extraordinary and compelling reasons.”5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3582 – Imposition of a Sentence of Imprisonment The standard is deliberately high. It usually means terminal illness, severe disability, or the death or incapacitation of the only caregiver for a defendant’s minor children. The inmate must first exhaust administrative remedies with the Bureau of Prisons before bringing the motion. A new motion from Tan would need a basis entirely different from the ineffective-counsel argument the court already rejected.
The second option is executive clemency. Any federal prisoner can petition the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the Department of Justice to ask the President to commute a sentence.6United States Department of Justice. Apply for Clemency Commutations are rare and unpredictable, tending to cluster around specific policy initiatives or the close of a presidential term. There is no formula for who receives one.
Supervised Release After Prison
Tan’s sentence also includes three years of supervised release after prison.7United States Department of Justice. Pittsford Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Unlawful Purchase of Shotgun Used to Kill His Father That is the federal analog to what many people picture when they think of parole supervision: regular check-ins with a probation officer, travel restrictions, and court-imposed conditions. Federal law requires everyone on supervised release to avoid new crimes, avoid controlled substances, and submit to drug testing.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3583 – Inclusion of a Term of Supervised Release After Imprisonment The sentencing judge can add tailored conditions on top.
Violations carry teeth. A court can modify conditions, extend the supervision period, or revoke supervised release and return the person to prison. Possessing a firearm or a controlled substance triggers mandatory revocation. For Tan, that means federal supervision continues after his projected 2034 release until roughly 2037, with the risk of re-incarceration during that window.