Jan. 6 pardon includes man convicted on illegal weapons, classified info charges: Trump DOJ
Pro-Trump protesters storm into the U.S. Capitol during clashes with police, during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by the U.S. Congress, in Washington, U.S, January 6, 2021.
The Department of Justice is now clarifying that President Donald Trump's pardons of those charged and convicted as part of the January 6, 2021 insurrection include a man convicted on possession of multiple deadly weapons and classified information.
Politico reported Tuesday that Jeremy Brown – is serving a seven-year prison sentence – just had his conviction reversed after a jury found him guilty of possessing multiple illegal weapons and even a classified U.S. Army report. According to the outlet, Brown was facing a five-year prison sentence after FBI agents found "grenades, a modified AR-15-style rifle [and] a sawed-off shotgun." the DOJ argued that because the weapons and report were found as part of the FBI's search in relation to Brown's January 6 charges, the pardon extended to those additional convictions.
The same day Brown's conviction was overturned, January 6 clemency recipient Dan Wilson also had his own unrelated charges thrown out. Wilson was slated to report to prison on Thursday after being convicted on illegal weapons charges. Like Brown, agents found the weapons in Wilson's Kentucky home after executing a search warrant in relation to his January 6-related charges.
READ MORE: 'He should be immediately released': Trump DOJ helping Jan. 6 rioters with unrelated charges
Assistant U.S. attorney Jennifer Blackwell said the reversal was the result of "further clarity on the intent of the Presidential Pardon." Wilson's attorney, George Pallas, welcomed the decision.
“I commend the U.S, Attorney’s office for their courage in reversing their position,” Pallas told Politico. “President Trump has kept his promise to not leave any January 6 protester behind. As a nation it’s time for us to move on.”
Previously, the DOJ had argued that Trump's pardon of the roughly 1,500 charged and/or convicted in connection with the deadly siege of the U.S. Capitol were specific to actions defendants took in Washington D.C. four years ago. But the Justice Department has since shifted that position to include other federal charges defendants faced for unrelated crimes.
Last week, the Trump DOJ pushed for the release of Daniel Ball, who was arrested on federal gun charges just one day after Trump's January 20 clemency order. Ball had been charged with multiple felonies on January 6 for assaulting police officers — including with weapons — and other crimes relating to breaking into the U.S. Capitol building while carrying weapons.
READ MORE: January 6 rioter gets arrested on federal gun charges — one day after Trump pardon
Click here to read Politico's report in its entirety.
