A federal judge in New York has ordered U.S. probation officials to investigate the recent arrest of Jonathan Braun, a convicted drug dealer whose 10-year sentence was commuted by former President Donald Trump in early 2021. Braun was released from prison as a result of this clemency, but now faces the possibility of being sent back to prison due to his recent arrest for allegedly assaulting his wife and father-in-law in Nassau County, New York. This development has raised concerns that Braun could become an issue in the 2024 presidential election, with Trump attempting to paint Vice President Kamala Harris as soft on crime.
Braun, a 41-year-old who has also worked in the predatory lending industry, remains on supervised release for his federal conviction in Brooklyn federal court for conspiracy to import marijuana and commit money laundering. Judge Kiyo Matsumoto issued an order for probation officials to investigate the matter further and provide appropriate recommendations at a later time. The document containing the judge’s order is currently sealed from public view, and Braun’s lawyer, Marc Fernich, did not address the order directly, but stated that Braun had been arrested in Nassau County for an alleged domestic disturbance and is pleading not guilty to the charges.
John Marzulli, a spokesman for the Brooklyn U.S. attorney’s office that prosecuted Braun in the drug case, declined to comment on the order. Braun’s recent arrest in Nassau County involved assault charges, with prosecutors alleging that he assaulted his father-in-law and wife on multiple occasions. He is also facing charges of petit larceny for failing to pay $160 in bridge tolls while driving a Lamborghini and Ferrari without license plates. Despite the objections of the Nassau County district attorney’s office, Braun was released without bail following his arraignment.
In a civil case in Manhattan federal court, Braun was fined $20 million by Judge Jed Rakoff after the Federal Trade Commission sued him for predatory lending practices. The evidence presented showed that Braun was actively involved in this illegal conduct and showed little remorse. Trump’s presidential campaign spokeswoman stated that the former president believes that criminals should spend time behind bars when asked about Braun’s recent arrest. The situation involving Braun and his legal issues remains fluid, and it is uncertain what the final outcome will be.
