Statement from the Press Secretary Regarding Executive Grants of Clemency | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    President Donald J. Trump granted pardons to 73 individuals and commuted the sentences of an additional 70 individuals.

    Todd Boulanger - President Trump granted a full pardon to Todd Boulanger. Mr. Boulanger's pardon is supported by numerous friends, as well as by past and present business associates. In 2008, Mr. Boulanger pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. He has taken full responsibility for his conduct. Mr. Boulanger is a veteran of the United States Army Reserves and was honorably discharged. He has also received an award from the City of the District of Columbia for heroism for stopping and apprehending an individual who assaulted an elderly woman with a deadly weapon on Capitol Hill. Mr. Boulanger is known as a model member of his community. In addition, he is remorseful for his actions and would like to leave his mistakes behind him.

    Abel Holtz - President Trump granted a full pardon to Abel Holtz. This pardon is supported by Representative Mario Diaz-Balart and friends and business colleagues in his community. Mr. Holtz is currently 86 years old. In 1995, he pled guilty to one count of impeding a grand jury investigation and was sentenced to 45 days in prison. Before his conviction, Mr. Holtz, who was the Chairman of a local bank, never had any legal issues and has had no other legal issues since his conviction. Mr. Holtz has devoted extensive time and resources to supporting charitable causes in South Florida, including substantial donations to the City of Miami Beach.

    Representative Rick Renzi - President Trump granted a full pardon to Representative Rick Renzi of Arizona. Mr. Renzi's pardon is supported by Representative Paul Gosar, Representative Tom Cole, former Representative Tom DeLay, former Representative Jack Kingston, former Representative Todd Tiahrt, former Representative John Doolittle, former Representative Duncan Hunter Sr., former Representative Richard Pombo, former Representative Charles Taylor, former Representative Dan Burton, Larry Weitzner, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, and numerous other members of his community. In 2013, Mr. Renzi was convicted of extortion, bribery, insurance fraud, money laundering, and racketeering. He was sentenced to 2 years in Federal prison, 2 years of supervised release, and paid a $25,000 fine. Before his conviction, Mr. Renzi served three terms in the House of Representatives. His constituents considered him a strong advocate for better housing, quality education, and improved healthcare-especially for the underprivileged and Native Americans. He is the father of 12 children and a loving and devoted husband.

    Kenneth Kurson - President Trump granted a full pardon to Kenneth Kurson. Prosecutors have charged Mr. Kurson with cyberstalking related to his divorce from his ex-wife in 2015. In a powerful letter to the prosecutors, Mr. Kurson's ex-wife wrote on his behalf that she never wanted this investigation or arrest and, "repeatedly asked for the FBI to drop it... I hired a lawyer to protect me from being forced into yet another round of questioning. My disgust with this arrest and the subsequent articles is bottomless..." This investigation only began because Mr. Kurson was nominated to a role within the Trump Administration. He has been a community leader in New York and New Jersey for decades. In addition, Mr. Kurson is a certified foster parent, a successful business owner, and is passionate about various charitable causes. Mr. Kurson is an upstanding citizen and father to five beautiful children.

HbAD0

    Casey Urlacher - President Trump granted a full pardon to Casey Urlacher. This pardon is supported by his friends and family, and countless members of his community. Mr. Urlacher has been charged with conspiracy to engage in illegal gambling. Throughout his life, Mr. Urlacher has been committed to public service and has consistently given back to his community. Currently, Mr. Urlacher serves as the unpaid Mayor of Mettawa, Illinois. He is a devoted husband to his wife and a loving father to his 17-month old daughter.

    Carl Andrews Boggs - President Trump granted a full pardon to Carl Andrews Boggs. This pardon is supported by the Honorable David Lee and South Carolina Department of Transportation Chairman Tony Cox. In 2013, Mr. Boggs pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy. Since his release, Mr. Boggs has rebuilt his company, has employed hundreds of people, and has dedicated countless hours and financial resources to his community.

    Jaime A. Davidson - President Trump commuted the sentence of Jaime A. Davidson. This commutation is supported by Mr. Davidson's family and friends, Alice Johnson, and numerous others. In 1993, Mr. Davidson was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in relation to the murder of an undercover officer. Notably, witnesses who testified against Mr. Davidson later recanted their testimony in sworn affidavits and further attested that Mr. Davidson had no involvement. Although Mr. Davidson has been incarcerated for nearly 29 years, the admitted shooter has already been released from prison. Following the commutation of his sentence, Mr. Davidson will continue legal efforts to clear his name. In addition, while incarcerated, Mr. Davidson mentored and tutored over 1,000 prisoners to help them achieve their GED certificates. Mr. Davidson has earned praise from prison officials for his dedication to helping others.

    James E. Johnson, Jr. - President Trump granted a full pardon to James E. Johnson, Jr. In 2008, Mr. Johnson pled guilty to charges related to migratory birds. Mr. Johnson received 1 year probation, was barred from hunting during that period, and a $7,500 fine was imposed. Throughout his life, Mr. Johnson has made numerous contributions for the conservation of wildlife.

    Tommaso Buti - President Trump granted a full pardon to Tommaso Buti. Mr. Buti is an Italian citizen and a respected businessman. He is the Chief Operating Officer of a large Italian company and has started a successful charitable initiative to raise funds for UNICEF. More than 20 years ago, Mr. Buti was charged with financial fraud involving a chain of restaurants. He has not, however, been convicted in the United States.

    Bill K. Kapri - President Trump granted a commutation to Bill Kapri, more commonly known as Kodak Black. Kodak Black is a prominent artist and community leader. This commutation is supported by numerous religious leaders, including Pastor Darrell Scott and Rabbi Schneur Kaplan. Additional supporters include Bernie Kerik, Hunter Pollack, Gucci Mane, Lil Pump, Lil Yachty, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, Jack Brewer formerly of the National Football League, and numerous other notable community leaders. Kodak Black was sentenced to 46 months in prison for making a false statement on a Federal document. He has served nearly half of his sentence. Before his conviction and after reaching success as a recording artist, Kodak Black became deeply involved in numerous philanthropic efforts. In fact, he has committed to supporting a variety of charitable efforts, such as providing educational resources to students and families of fallen law enforcement officers and the underprivileged. In addition to these efforts, he has paid for the notebooks of school children, provided funding and supplies to daycare centers, provided food for the hungry, and annually provides for underprivileged children during Christmas. Most recently while still incarcerated, Kodak Black donated $50,000 to David Portnoy's Barstool Fund, which provides funds to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kodak Black's only request was that his donation go toward restaurants in his hometown.

HbAD1

    Jawad A. Musa - President Trump commuted the sentence of Jawad A. Musa. In 1991, Mr. Musa was sentence to life imprisonment for a non-violent, drug-related offense. Mr. Musa's sentencing judge and the prosecutor on the case have both requested clemency on his behalf. He is currently 56-years old. During his time in prison, Mr. Musa has strengthened his faith and taken dozens of educational courses. Mr. Musa is blessed with a strong supportive network in Baltimore, Maryland and has numerous offers of employment.

    Adriana Shayota - President Trump commuted the sentence of Adriana Shayota. Ms. Shayota has served more than half of her 24 month sentence. The Deputy Mayor of Chula Vista, California, John McCann, supports this commutation, among other community leaders. Ms. Shayota is a mother and a deeply religious woman who had no prior convictions. She was convicted of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, commit copyright infringement, and introduce misbranded food into interstate commerce. During her time in prison, Ms. Shayota mentored those who wanted to improve their lives and demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to rehabilitation.

    Glen Moss - President Trump granted a full pardon to Glen Moss. After pleading guilty in 1998, Mr. Moss has been a vital member of his community. Mr. Moss has been committed to numerous philanthropic efforts at the national level, including St Jude's Hospital for Children, Breast Cancer Awareness, and the Colon Cancer Foundation. Within his community, he has contributed to Danbury Hospital and Ann's Place, a community-based cancer support center.

    Anthony Levandowski - President Trump granted a full pardon to Anthony Levandowski. This pardon is strongly supported by James Ramsey, Peter Thiel, Miles Ehrlich, Amy Craig, Michael Ovitz, Palmer Luckey, Ryan Petersen, Ken Goldberg, Mike Jensen, Nate Schimmel, Trae Stephens, Blake Masters, and James Proud, among others. Mr. Levandowski is an American entrepreneur who led Google's efforts to create self-driving technology. Mr. Levandowski pled guilty to a single criminal count arising from civil litigation. Notably, his sentencing judge called him a "brilliant, groundbreaking engineer that our country needs." Mr. Levandowski has paid a significant price for his actions and plans to devote his talents to advance the public good.

    Aviem Sella - President Trump granted a full pardon to Aviem Sella. Mr. Sella is an Israeli citizen who was indicted in 1986 for espionage in relation to the Jonathan Pollard case. Mr. Sella's request for clemency is supported by the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer, the United States Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, and Miriam Adelson. The State of Israel has issued a full and unequivocal apology, and has requested the pardon in order to close this unfortunate chapter in U.S.-Israel relations.

    Michael Liberty - President Trump granted a full pardon to Michael Liberty. Mr. Liberty's request for clemency is supported by Representative Susan Austin, Matthew E. Sturgis, and Anthony Fratianne. In 2016 Mr. Liberty was convicted for campaign finance violations and later was indicted for related offenses. Mr. Liberty is the father of 7 children and has been involved in numerous philanthropic efforts.

    Greg Reyes - President Trump granted a full pardon to Greg Reyes. This pardon is supported by Shon Hopwood, former United States Attorney Brett Tolman, and numerous others. Mr. Reyes was the former CEO of Brocade Communications. Mr. Reyes was convicted of securities fraud. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, however, threw out his convictions, finding prosecutorial misconduct. He was later retried, convicted, and sentenced to 18 months in Federal prison. Mr. Reyes has accepted full responsibility for his actions and has been out of prison for more than 8 years.

    Ferrell Damon Scott - President Trump commuted the sentence of Ferrell Damon Scott. This commutation is supported by former Acting United States Attorney Sam Sheldon, who prosecuted his case and wrote that he "... strongly does not believe that [Mr. Scott] deserves a mandatory life sentence." Ms. Alice Johnson, the CAN-DO Foundation, and numerous others also support clemency for Mr. Scott. Mr. Scott has served nearly 9 years of a life imprisonment sentence for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Under today's sentencing guidelines, it is likely that Mr. Scott would not have received such a harsh sentence.

    Jerry Donnell Walden - President Trump commuted the sentence of Jerry Donnell Walden. Mr. Walden has served 23 years of a 40-year prison sentence. He is known as a model inmate who completed his GED while incarcerated, as well as various other education classes.

    Jeffrey Alan Conway - President Trump granted a full pardon to Jeffrey Alan Conway. Mr. Conway's pardon is strongly supported by his business partners Gary N. Solomon and Ely Hurwitz, members of law enforcement, and numerous other members of the community. Since his release from prison, Mr. Conway has led a successful life and currently runs 10 restaurant businesses that employ nearly 500 people. Mr. Conway is active in his community and in various philanthropic efforts.

    Benedict Olberding - President Trump granted a full pardon to Benedict Olberding. Mr. Olberding was convicted on one count of bank fraud. Mr. Olberding is an upstanding member of the community who has paid his debt to society. After completing his sentence, he purchased two aquarium stores, as well as a consulting business to train prospective mortgage brokers.

HbAD2

    Syrita Steib-Martin - President Trump granted a full pardon to Syrita Steib-Martin. This clemency is supported by Ben Watson formerly of the National Football League, Judge Sandra Jenkins of the Louisiana state courts, and Sister Marjorie Herbert, who serves as President and CEO of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, among many others. Ms. Steib-Martin was convicted at the age of 19 and sentenced to 10 years in prison and nearly $2 million in restitution for the use of fire to commit a felony. After her release from prison, she became an advocate for criminal justice reform and founded Operation Restoration, which helps transition women prisoners after incarceration by providing education opportunities and job placement. With today's pardon, Ms. Steib-Martin is relieved of the crushing restitution she incurred at such a young age.
Go Back
HbAD3

 
Back to Top