Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has pardoned a man her predecessor declined to help before his deportation to Haiti.
A spokesperson says the governor requested a clemency board review after the case of Lexius Saint Martin, of Waterville, was called to her attention. The 36-year-old Saint Martin was granted a pardon on Aug. 29, 2019.
The pardon could set the stage for his return from Haiti, where he was sent in February 2009 after being arrested after leaving his house to go to work. He was ultimately deported because of a drug conviction 10 years earlier.
Federal officials said he should've been deported sooner, but the Haiti earthquake left his case in limbo. During that time, he fell in love with a Maine woman. They married and had three children.