© 2026 ABC News

According to a 2013 ACLU report on people sentenced to life without parole for nonviolent offenses, Johnson got involved with people selling drugs out of desperation, after she lost her job and was unable to pay her bills.

\"PHOTO:
Mic via Facebook
PHOTO: Alice Marie Johnson has been in prison for 21 years for a first-time, nonviolent drug offense.
>

She was arrested in 1993 and accused of participating in a drug trafficking and money-laundering operation that distributed cocaine. She said she never personally made drug deals or sold drugs but that she did relay messages and allowed others in the conspiracy to use her telephone.

One of Johnson’s daughters, Tretessa Johnson, wrote on a Change.org petition that her mother has been in prison 21 years \"and will die there unless President Trump grants her clemency.\"

She noted that while in prison, her mother has been a \"model prisoner\" who mentors women, has become an ordained minister and upon release would work on reducing recidivism among ex-offenders.

\"It serves no purpose or benefit to society to have her locked up for life. Her large and loving immediate and extended family and friends would welcome her return,\" Tretessa Johnson wrote.

News of Kardashian West's conversations with Kushner comes amid recent reports that he has been quietly pursuing prison reform for more than a year.

\"PHOTO:
Andrew Harnik/AP
PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, left, in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., April 21, 2017.
>

Kushner has first-hand experience with the federal prison system after his father, Charles Kushner, spent a year behind bars in 2005 for tax evasion and illegal campaign contributions.

He was 25 years old when he found himself thrust into the role of leading his family’s business, while frequently traveling to visit his father at a federal penitentiary in Montgomery, Alabama, on the weekends.

More than a decade later, people close to the younger Kushner say he now sees it as his responsibility to use his position and influence to affect change.

ABC News' Jordyn Phelps contributed to this report.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/kim-kardashian-west-working-jared-kushner-free-62/story?id=54880687","legacySlug":"/culture/story/kim-kardashian-west-working-jared-kushner-free-62-54880687","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"17:14","publishDate":"05-02-2018","updatedTime":"14:13","updatedDate":"05-03-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"Kim Kardashian West attends KKWxMario Dinner at Jean-Georges Beverly Hills on March 31, 2018 in Beverly Hills, Calif.","credit":"Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/kim-kardashian-west-gty-hb-180502_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"5/2/2018 17:14:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":54880687,"headline":"Kim Kardashian West working to free a grandmother","mediaAssetTitle":"ent_fisher_kkw_alice_marie_johnson","description":"She has been working to free Alice Marie Johnson on a non-violent drug charge.","duration":"0:58","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/05/170526_vod_orig_eyntk_kushnerMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["133707237","133144263","132956835"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"June 9, 2026","headline":"Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","section":"News","slug":"/video/133707237","id":"133707237","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Flash flood threat as dangerous weather on the move","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260609_gma_zee_weather1_707_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"May 20, 2026","headline":"Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","section":"News","slug":"/video/133144263","id":"133144263","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fashion mogul’s son arrested in father’s fatal fall","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260520_gma_ally_fall3_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"May 14, 2026","headline":"Trump meets Xi Jinping in high-stakes Beijing summit","section":"News","slug":"/video/132956835","id":"132956835","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump meets Xi Jinping in high-stakes Beijing summit","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump meets Xi Jinping in high-stakes Beijing summit","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260514_gma_bruce_china1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Kim Kardashian West working to free a grandmother","description":"She has been working to free Alice Marie Johnson on a non-violent drug charge.","duration":"0:58","uploadDate":"05-02-2018","publication":"05-02-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/05/170526_vod_orig_eyntk_kushnerMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2017/05/170526_vod_orig_eyntk_kushnerMIX_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/kim-kardashian-west-working-jared-kushner-free-62-54880687"}},"playlist":[{"id":"133730535","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133712423","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133694181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133688738","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133616358","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133616342","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133522899","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133584123","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133579397","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133482839","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133390157","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133415361","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133414032","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133380485","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133358298","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133350119","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307515","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133307527","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133282665","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"133220149","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:culture:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"culture","title":"Kim Kardashian West working to free a grandmother","pubTime":"13:14","pubDate":"05-02-2018","modTime":"10:13","modDate":"05-03-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":54880687,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Kim Kardashian West working to free a grandmother","mediaAssetTitle":"ent_fisher_kkw_alice_marie_johnson","videoId":54880687,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/culture/story/kim-kardashian-west-working-jared-kushner-free-62-54880687"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/54880687","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/54880687","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};