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A New York drug smuggler and loan shark who Donald Trump gave clemency was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly punching his 75-year-old father-in-law in the head during a domestic dispute – adding to the list of his violent history.
Jonathan Braun, 41, was allegedly chasing his wife around their Long Island home during an argument when his father-in-law stepped in to protect his daughter. Braun then punched his father-in-law in the head twice, resulting in injury, court documents seen by The New York Times said.
When Nassau County Police arrived, Braun’s wife told them this was the third time her husband physically assaulted her within five weeks. He allegedly injured her after throwing her off a bed and in another instance, punched her in the head multiple times after throwing her to the floor, The Times reported.
Braun was arrested and charged with two counts of assault in the third degree, one count of assault in the second degree, and one count of petit larceny. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Attorney Marc Fernich, who is representing Braun, said in an email that his client was released “on his own recognizance after pleading guilty” and “will address the allegations judicially.
In a statement, the Nassau County District Attorney said, “My office requested bail be set at $35,000. The judge presiding over arraignment released the defendant on his own recognizance. We respectfully disagree with the Judge’s decision. The Nassau County District Attorney’s Office continues to thoroughly review the evidence in this case and prepare for prosecution.”
What appears to be an ordinary arrest has attracted media attention because it is not the first time Braun has stumbled into legal trouble or been accused of acting violently – and yet he was one of 94 individuals offered commutation – or reduced sentencing – by former president Donald Trump
On January 19, 2021, hours before he left office, Trump commutated Braun, who had only served two and a half years of his 10-year-long sentencing.
Braun was indicted and later pleaded guilty to leading a large marijuana-smuggling ring. He turned himself in to law enforcement officials in 2011 – after briefing fleeing the United States. But he wouldn’t be sentenced until 2019.
In the seven years Braun was out on bail awaiting sentencing, he took on a major role in a predatory small-business lending scheme, Bloomberg News reported.
By the time Braun reported to prison, the Federal Trade Commission and the New York attorney general had opened investigations into the scheme. Those investigations were still ongoing when Trump selected Braun for commutation and included some alarming accusations.
Attorney General Letitia James alleged Braun used threats to compel business owners to pay up like “I will take your daughters from you”, “I am going to make you bleed”, “You have no idea what I’m going to do” and “Be thankful you’re not in New York, because your family would find you floating in the Hudson.”
In the FTC’s lawsuit announcement, they also said Braun and his co-defendants threatened consumers with physical violence.
It is unclear why or how Braun was chosen for the clemency. Typically, presidents rely on the Office of the Pardon Attorney within the Justice Department to vet potential clemency candidates. But Trump did not use that.
In the White House’s clemency announcement, they did not explain why Braun was being chosen for clemency, provided an extremely brief description of his charges and also spelled his name wrongly as “Jonathon”.
