A convicted drug dealer who received a presidential commutation from Donald Trump has been sent back to federal prison after violating the terms of his release with a series of alarming new offences.
From Clemency to Fresh Charges
Jonathan Braun was sentenced to 27 months behind bars on Monday by Brooklyn federal Judge Kiyo Matsumoto. The Long Island man had been in custody since his arrest in April for breaching the conditions of his supervised release.
His freedom, granted by the former president in the final days of his first term in January 2021, was short-lived. Braun faced a litany of new accusations, including swinging an IV pole at a hospital nurse and threatening to kill her. He was also accused of screaming at a member of his synagogue, groping his family's nanny, and evading bridge tolls.
A Pattern of 'Brazen and Violent Conduct'
Federal prosecutors had pushed for a much harsher punishment, seeking the maximum five-year sentence. They argued that a lengthy prison term was 'necessary to protect the public from further crimes'.
In court documents, prosecutors detailed that Braun's 'brazen and violent conduct caused fear and terror in his victims'. They maintained that he continued to demonstrate he was a 'serious danger to the community'.
Judge Matsumoto acknowledged Braun's expressions of remorse and his promise to lead a law-abiding life, stating she hoped they were made in good faith. She noted that many of his victims had forgiven him, issuing a stern warning: 'Don't squander it.'
A Second Chance Squandered
Braun's legal troubles are not new. He was originally sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in 2019 after pleading guilty to drug-related charges involving drug dealing and money laundering.
He served approximately one year before President Trump commuted his sentence. While this action freed him from prison, the rest of his sentence, including financial penalties and the requirement to stay out of trouble, remained in effect.
The time Braun has spent in a federal jail in Brooklyn since his April arrest will be subtracted from his new 27-month sentence. He was photographed leaving the Nassau county courthouse in Mineola, New York, on 1 April following an appearance related to his case.
