At least 17 people have been released from prison in the Upstate in the month since federal judges have had the leeway to reduce crack cocaine sentences, and more are to come as orders to release prisoners trickle daily through the federal court system.

Early estimates are that 800-900 federal inmates serving sentences on crack convictions will be granted early release statewide under new sentencing guidelines that are designed to shrink the disparity with powder cocaine sentences, said Quincy Avinger, deputy chief of the South Carolina District U.S. Probation Office.

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