List of Felons Accused of Reoffending After Donald Trump Pardons
At least 20 individuals granted clemency by President Donald Trump have been charged with new crimes, including the founder and CEO of a Las Vegas-based prisoner reentry program.
At least 20 individuals granted clemency by President Donald Trump have been charged with new crimes, including the founder and CEO of a Las Vegas-based prisoner reentry program.
Article outline
- What happened
- Background
- The key numbers
- Official response
- The details
- The bottom line
Key points
- This person took direct executive action involving 238 individuals during his first term and an further 1, 500 Capitol rioters and others after his 2024 reelection.
- Braun, of Long Island, New York, had been serving a 10-year federal sentence for drugs and funds laundering, but his sentence was commuted by Trump in January 2021.
- Johnson, a January 6 rioter who was freed by pardon in 2025, was convicted of child molestation in February 2026.
- Moynihan, a 35-year-old pardoned Capitol rioter from New York, pleaded guilty in February in connection with death threats against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
- Ponder, who was pardoned during the 2020 Republican National Convention, appears to be the 20th individual who has been accused of a crime after a pardon by Trump.
By Joshua Rhett Miller Senior Reporter. Newsweek is a Trust Project member.
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For context, the arrest of Jon Donyae Ponder, 60, by Las Vegas police on Tuesday marks the latest case of recidivism among convicted criminals who were pardoned or granted clemency by Trump. This person took direct executive action involving 238 individuals during his first term and an further 1, 500 Capitol rioters and others after his 2024 reelection.
At least 97 of more than 1, 500 individuals granted clemency by Trump for their roles in the Capitol riot have been accused of new crimes since January 6, 2021, including 19 whose cases occurred after Trump pardoned those defendants on the first day of his second term on January 20, 2025, according to a study published in June by Lawfare, a nonprofit legal publication.
Ponder, who was pardoned during the 2020 Republican National Convention, appears to be the 20th individual who has been accused of a crime after a pardon by Trump. At least five prior recipients of Trump's favor were "enabled by clemency, " meaning the executive action may have actively facilitated criminal conduct, according to Lawfare.
Here's a closer look at the 20 individuals who have been charged or sentenced for other crimes after a pardon by Trump.
Ponder, a three-time felon who led Hope for Prisoners, a Las Vegas-based prisoner reentry program, was arrested Tuesday for sexual assault-related charges. He was afterwards booked into the Clark County Detention Center on one count of sexual assault, seven counts of unauthorized custodial contact, one count of attempted coercion and 11 gross misdemeanor charges, police stated.
Ponder remains in custody early Wednesday ahead of his initial court appearance on Thursday, Clark County records show. It's unclear if he's hired an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Johnson, a January 6 rioter who was freed by pardon in 2025, was convicted of child molestation in February 2026. He was afterwards sentenced to life in prison. Johnson's criminal conduct occurred both before and after his pardon, Lawfare researchers remarked.
Alam, another January 6 rioter who was pardoned last year, was arrested months afterwards for home invasion. He was subsequently convicted of grand larceny and burglary in October 2026.
Nichols, who was pardoned after receiving a 64-month sentence for assaulting police and brandishing a crowbar during the Capitol riot, was charged with deadly conduct and harassment in May 2026 after allegedly threatening a person with a gun outside a church.
Taake, 37, who was convicted of assaulting police officers during the Capitol riot, was afterwards arrested in February 2025 on an outstanding charge of online solicitation of a minor in Texas.
Kelley, a former Marine pardoned by Trump for his role in the Capitol riot, was sentenced to life in prison in July 2025 for plotting to murder FBI special agents who had investigated him.
For context, the January 6 rioter who was photographed holding then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's broken nameplate was afterwards sentenced to 10 years in prison for a fatal DUI crash in January 2022.
Ball, who allegedly threw an explosive device at officers on January 6, was afterwards charged with illegally possessing a gun as a felon. A separate federal gun charge was dismissed after his pardon.
Daniel, a convicted January 6 rioter, was afterwards indicted in October 2024 for production/possession of child pornography and sexual assault of a minor.
After his January 6-related pardon, Woods was convicted in April 2025 of aggravated DUI and reckless homicide in a wrong-way crash, but a jury acquitted him of murder. He was afterwards sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Middendorf, another convicted Capitol rioter, is at present serving a 19-year sentence for sexual assault of a 7-year-old child after pleading guilty in May 2024.
Taranto, a January 6 participant, was arrested in 2023 for illegal gun possession and making a bomb threat near former President Barack Obama's residence. He was afterwards convicted in 2025, and the Department of Justice subsequently removed references to Trump and the Capitol riot in court documents related to Taranto's sentencing.
Holdridge, a January 6 rioter, was arrested in May 2025 in California for burglary/grand theft and possession of stolen industrial wire.
Braun, of Long Island, New York, had been serving a 10-year federal sentence for drugs and funds laundering, but his sentence was commuted by Trump in January 2021. He afterwards violated terms of his supervised release and was identified guilty of multiple charges, including forcible touching and sexual abuse. He was sentenced to 27 months in prison in November 2025.
Weinstein, of New Jersey, saw his 24-year sentence for a real estate scheme commuted by Trump in January 2021. Four years afterwards, he was convicted of defrauding investors in a new scam of roughly $35 million. He was afterwards sentenced to 37 years in federal prison in November.
Andries, who was convicted of entering the Capitol during the 2021 riot and receiving a year in federal prison, was afterwards convicted in June 2025 of violating a peace order for after the mother of his child. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and three years of unsupervised probation.
Battisti, a 28-year-old Maryland man who spent four months in prison for his role in the Capitol riot, was charged in March 2024 for allegedly violating an anti-stalking order against an activist. He was additionally arrested in March for filming himself while allegedly touching women in public.
Yates, 40, who pleaded guilty to breaching the Capitol and was afterwards freed from prison after Trump's pardon in 2025, was arrested in Florida during an undercover prostitution sting in May. The self-proclaimed MAGA supporter reportedly posted a $1, 000 bond and was published from custody.
Moynihan, a 35-year-old pardoned Capitol rioter from New York, pleaded guilty in February in connection with death threats against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. He agreed to serve years of probation.
Tocci, 31, who was pardoned by Trump for his actions during the Capitol riot, was sentenced to four years in prison in March after being convicted of possessing more than 100, 000 child sexual abuse images and videos discovered in connection with the January 6 case. A Department of Justice news release regarding his sentencing did not mention any link to the insurrection. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Sam Wilson.
Taken together, the developments around list of Felons Accused of Reoffending After Donald Trump Pardons point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.




