WESLACO - Last year Congress passed First Step Act, which prompted former Sheriff Coronado Cantu’s early prison release.

The act serves as a way for qualifying inmates to get out of federal prison early.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS spoke to criminal attorney Rene Flores about what the act means for Texas Prisoners.

Flores tells us because it is fairly new there aren’t many cases set as examples.

Government documents show inmates have to qualify in order to be pre-released into home confinement or get an alternative means of monitoring.

Additionally, if the prisoner violates any condition of their agreement, they can be required to serve the remainder of the term of imprisonment to which the prisoner was originally sentenced.

For more information watch the video above.