The Justice Department has confirmed that a military veteran's presidential pardon for his involvement in storming the U.S. Capitol also applies to his separate conviction for possessing stolen grenades and classified information. Jeremy Brown, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, was sentenced to over seven years in prison for weapons charges after federal agents discovered stolen Army grenades, an unregistered rifle, and a stolen classified document during an investigation related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
President Donald Trump pardoned Brown and numerous other Capitol riot defendants upon his return to the White House, with the Justice Department recently determining that the pardon extends to Brown's Florida conviction. This decision was made after consultation with Justice Department leadership.
Similar conclusions were reached in other cases where Capitol riot defendants faced separate charges. In one instance, a convicted rioter's firearms possession conviction was deemed covered by the pardon, despite prior felony convictions prohibiting him from owning guns.
However, the Justice Department clarified that the pardons do not apply to all cases. For example, a defendant arrested near former President Barack Obama's residence with firearms and ammunition will still face charges unrelated to the pardon. Additionally, a defendant planning to harm law enforcement officials, including FBI agents, remains ineligible for pardon and is set to be sentenced in May.
These developments underscore the complexities surrounding the legal implications of presidential pardons and their scope in cases involving multiple criminal charges.
