The final days of a presidency often see a flurry of pardons, acts of clemency that can spark both celebration and outrage. This week, former President Donald Trump wielded that power once more, granting a full pardon to 25-year-old rapper Kentrell Gaulden, known to the world as YoungBoy Never Broke Again or NBA YoungBoy. While the rapper and his supporters are undoubtedly celebrating, law enforcement officials in Cache County, Utah, are far from pleased, and they're making their displeasure known.
At the heart of their frustration is the implication that their efforts to arrest and prosecute Gaulden were somehow politically motivated. Sheriff Chad Jensen and County Attorney Taylor Sorensen minced no words in their joint statement, released with a clear tone of disapproval. "We feel strongly the Justice System in Cache County is far from a ‘weaponized system of justice,'" they asserted, directly refuting any such suggestion.
The Utah officials stood firmly behind the work of their team. "We are extremely proud of the work our investigator and prosecutors did on this case, as well as grateful for all the help we received from other local and federal agencies," their statement emphasized, highlighting the collaborative effort involved in Gaulden's prosecution in their jurisdiction.
For context, NBA YoungBoy had already served nearly two years behind bars after pleading guilty to federal gun charges in Louisiana. But his legal woes extended beyond the Bayou. He also faced prosecution in Utah for possessing a firearm as a felon, a charge that resulted in a five-year probation sentence and a hefty $200,000 fine.
Interestingly, the Trump administration did not issue a specific statement explaining the rationale behind Gaulden's pardon, which was one of sixteen issued on that particular Wednesday. However, in a separate pardon granted that same day to a sheriff in Virginia convicted of bribery, Trump reportedly complained about the U.S. Department of Justice being "weaponized," a sentiment that perhaps hints at his broader perspective on such cases.
Delving into the Utah case, court records reveal that the Cache County Sheriff’s Office was the driving force behind Gaulden's arrest in April 2024, following an investigation that commenced the previous September. Their investigation unearthed a connection between the rapper and a series of fraudulent prescriptions obtained under various names at pharmacies throughout Cache County and other locations in Utah.
According to court documents, Gaulden and his associates allegedly used physicians’ names to call in and pick up prescriptions, successfully doing so on at least 18 occasions before Gaulden's apprehension. Ultimately, Gaulden reached a "no contest" plea deal in Utah’s First District Court, which saw the felony charges reduced to class A misdemeanors. The consequence? An order to pay $25,000.
However, it was the discovery of a firearm at Gaulden's Weber County residence, as noted by the arresting officer in an initial affidavit, that led to the separate firearms possession charge in Utah. At the time of this discovery, Gaulden was already entangled in the federal gun charges in Louisiana. This firearm revelation ultimately resulted in the five-year probation sentence in Utah, concurrent with his guilty plea and 23-month prison sentence in the Louisiana case.
Released from prison in March, having received credit for time served, NBA YoungBoy now finds himself completely free of these legal entanglements, thanks to Trump's pardon. This means he will no longer be subject to any conditions of his probation, such as mandatory drug testing.
Alongside Gaulden, Trump's pardon spree included a diverse group of individuals, ranging from a gang leader and reality show personalities to politicians, as reported by The Associated Press.
Adding another layer to the narrative, Alice Marie Johnson, known as Trump’s "pardon czar," suggested on Fox News that Gaulden's youth and upbringing in an impoverished neighborhood were factors considered in recommending the pardon. She also noted that the charges largely involved gun possession without the weapons being discharged.
Taking to Instagram, a grateful NBA YoungBoy expressed his thanks to both Trump and Johnson for the pardon, stating it provided him with "the opportunity to keep building — as a man, a father, and as an artist." He concluded his post with a simple yet powerful message: "I’m grateful. I’m focused. I’m ready."
While YoungBoy Never Broke Again celebrates this new chapter, the lingering resentment from law enforcement in Utah underscores the often-contentious nature of presidential pardons. Was this an act of mercy, a politically motivated move, or a bit of both? The debate is likely to continue long after the ink on the pardon has dried.
