Drug Dealer Commuted by Trump Arrested Again for Domestic Violence
Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
A drug dealer whose prison sentence was commuted by former President Donald Trump has been arrested again, this time on suspicion of domestic violence. Jonathan Braun, who had his 10-year prison sentence drastically reduced after serving just 2.5 years, was taken into custody on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting his wife and her 75-year-old father, according to the Associated Press.
Braun, who was originally sentenced for his role in smuggling and selling $1.72 billion worth of cannabis between 2007 and 2010, was also charged with evading $160 in tolls by driving a car without a license plate. His criminal history extends beyond drug trafficking; Braun has been known for his involvement in loan sharking and a pattern of violent behavior. Prosecutors once accused him of flying to California to assault an associate with a belt.
The decision to commute Braun’s sentence had already sparked controversy, as federal law enforcement had hoped to use his imprisonment as leverage to gain his cooperation in a broader investigation into predatory lending. The commutation also raised suspicions about the motivations behind Trump’s and his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s decision to release Braun, with critics questioning whether the former president had been selling pardons, as per reports Business Insider.
Trump’s list of pardons and commutations has been widely criticized for favoring friends and close associates, such as Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn, both of whom were pardoned for offenses related to their work for Trump. Braun’s case is particularly troubling given his history of violence and criminal activity, and his recent arrest only adds to the scrutiny surrounding Trump’s clemency decisions.
This is not the first time a recipient of Trump’s clemency has found themselves in legal trouble again. Eli Weinstein, another individual whose sentence was commuted by Trump, was charged last year in connection with a $35 million fraud operation involving supplies intended for Ukraine. These cases have fueled ongoing debate about the appropriateness of Trump’s clemency choices and the implications for justice and public safety.
