Topline: Jonathan Braun, who received clemency in 2021, received a 27-month prison sentence following accusations of physical and sexual abuse.
Published: November 17, 2025 8:00 am ET
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Jonathan Braun, mugshot (via NCPD)
BROOKLYN, NY — A convicted drug dealer who was freed by President Donald Trump in 2021 has been sentenced to federal prison again in after prosecutors accused him of physical and sexual assault.
Jonathan Braun, 42, received a sentence of 27 months in prison, followed by three and a half years of additional supervised release, according to a report from The New York Times. The sentencing came after Braun violated the terms of release given when Trump commuted his 10-year prison sentence in the final hours of his first term.
Braun was initially sent back into federal custody in April after he was accused of physically assaulting a 3-year-old child. That incident led to his detention while awaiting a hearing for the violation of his release. He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to federal inmate records.
The charges detailing Braun’s violation of supervised release include multiple allegations of violence and misconduct, prosecutors said in court filings. The accusations involved sexual assault, physical abuse, and threats of violence against several people.
Prosecutors claimed Braun sexually assaulted his children’s nanny. The alleged assault involved Braun breaking into the nanny’s bedroom, putting her in a headlock, grabbing her breasts, and then forcibly placing her hand on his bare genitals, reported ABC News.
In addition to the alleged sexual assault and the physical assault of the 3-year-old child, Braun was accused of assaulting a nurse. The outlets reported that he violently swung a hospital IV pole at the nurse while threatening to “f—ing kill” her.
Other reported incidents of misconduct included threatening and grabbing the arm of a fellow congregant at a New York City synagogue. The Times also reported that Braun repeatedly evaded bridge tolls in New York City while driving his Lamborghini and Ferrari, per prosecutors. The court filings noted that he had also failed to pay a $100,000 fine levied at his 2019 sentencing.
In a court filing ahead of the sentencing, prosecutors called Braun a “serious danger to the community,” citing his “brazen and violent conduct” that “caused fear and terror in his victims,” according to ABC News.
Braun’s original sentence was for drug dealing and money laundering. He was a high-ranking member of an international drug smuggling operation that moved approximately 220,460 pounds of marijuana across the Canadian border and into the United States more than 10 years ago.
Federal prosecutors began investigating Braun when he was one of the largest marijuana dealers operating in New York City. This prompted him to flee to Israel, The New York Times reported. He later returned to the United States after being placed on the Interpol list and pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in 2010.
His sentencing was delayed for years until 2019, when Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto of Federal District Court in Brooklyn ordered him to serve 10 years in prison. Roughly one year after Braun began his sentence in 2020, President Trump granted him clemency in January 2021.
The New York Times reported that Braun was added to the clemency list following lobbying by his family, who used connections to Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law.
The 27-month sentence was handed down by Judge Matsumoto, the same judge who imposed Braun’s initial 10-year term in 2019. Following the prison term, Matsumoto ruled that Braun will be required to undergo rehabilitation treatment for drug abuse and mental illness.
Braun is the eighth person pardoned or granted clemency by President Trump who later faced new criminal charges, The New York Times reports. Trump issued the pardons and commutations on the final day of his first term in office.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Drug Dealer Freed by Trump Returns to Prison on Assault Charges
Jonathan Braun, who received clemency in 2021, received a 27-month prison sentence following accusations of physical and sexual abuse.
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 17, 2025 8:00 am ET
Jonathan Braun, mugshot (via NCPD)
BROOKLYN, NY — A convicted drug dealer who was freed by President Donald Trump in 2021 has been sentenced to federal prison again in after prosecutors accused him of physical and sexual assault.
Jonathan Braun, 42, received a sentence of 27 months in prison, followed by three and a half years of additional supervised release, according to a report from The New York Times. The sentencing came after Braun violated the terms of release given when Trump commuted his 10-year prison sentence in the final hours of his first term.
Braun was initially sent back into federal custody in April after he was accused of physically assaulting a 3-year-old child. That incident led to his detention while awaiting a hearing for the violation of his release. He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to federal inmate records.
The charges detailing Braun’s violation of supervised release include multiple allegations of violence and misconduct, prosecutors said in court filings. The accusations involved sexual assault, physical abuse, and threats of violence against several people.
Prosecutors claimed Braun sexually assaulted his children’s nanny. The alleged assault involved Braun breaking into the nanny’s bedroom, putting her in a headlock, grabbing her breasts, and then forcibly placing her hand on his bare genitals, reported ABC News.
In addition to the alleged sexual assault and the physical assault of the 3-year-old child, Braun was accused of assaulting a nurse. The outlets reported that he violently swung a hospital IV pole at the nurse while threatening to “f—ing kill” her.
Other reported incidents of misconduct included threatening and grabbing the arm of a fellow congregant at a New York City synagogue. The Times also reported that Braun repeatedly evaded bridge tolls in New York City while driving his Lamborghini and Ferrari, per prosecutors. The court filings noted that he had also failed to pay a $100,000 fine levied at his 2019 sentencing.
In a court filing ahead of the sentencing, prosecutors called Braun a “serious danger to the community,” citing his “brazen and violent conduct” that “caused fear and terror in his victims,” according to ABC News.
Braun’s original sentence was for drug dealing and money laundering. He was a high-ranking member of an international drug smuggling operation that moved approximately 220,460 pounds of marijuana across the Canadian border and into the United States more than 10 years ago.
Federal prosecutors began investigating Braun when he was one of the largest marijuana dealers operating in New York City. This prompted him to flee to Israel, The New York Times reported. He later returned to the United States after being placed on the Interpol list and pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in 2010.
His sentencing was delayed for years until 2019, when Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto of Federal District Court in Brooklyn ordered him to serve 10 years in prison. Roughly one year after Braun began his sentence in 2020, President Trump granted him clemency in January 2021.
The New York Times reported that Braun was added to the clemency list following lobbying by his family, who used connections to Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law.
The 27-month sentence was handed down by Judge Matsumoto, the same judge who imposed Braun’s initial 10-year term in 2019. Following the prison term, Matsumoto ruled that Braun will be required to undergo rehabilitation treatment for drug abuse and mental illness.
Braun is the eighth person pardoned or granted clemency by President Trump who later faced new criminal charges, The New York Times reports. Trump issued the pardons and commutations on the final day of his first term in office.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Drug Dealer Freed by Trump Returns to Prison on Assault Charges
Jonathan Braun, who received clemency in 2021, received a 27-month prison sentence following accusations of physical and sexual abuse.
By Kate Byrd
Published: November 17, 2025 8:00 am ET
Jonathan Braun, mugshot (via NCPD)
BROOKLYN, NY — A convicted drug dealer who was freed by President Donald Trump in 2021 has been sentenced to federal prison again in after prosecutors accused him of physical and sexual assault.
Jonathan Braun, 42, received a sentence of 27 months in prison, followed by three and a half years of additional supervised release, according to a report from The New York Times. The sentencing came after Braun violated the terms of release given when Trump commuted his 10-year prison sentence in the final hours of his first term.
Braun was initially sent back into federal custody in April after he was accused of physically assaulting a 3-year-old child. That incident led to his detention while awaiting a hearing for the violation of his release. He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to federal inmate records.
The charges detailing Braun’s violation of supervised release include multiple allegations of violence and misconduct, prosecutors said in court filings. The accusations involved sexual assault, physical abuse, and threats of violence against several people.
Prosecutors claimed Braun sexually assaulted his children’s nanny. The alleged assault involved Braun breaking into the nanny’s bedroom, putting her in a headlock, grabbing her breasts, and then forcibly placing her hand on his bare genitals, reported ABC News.
In addition to the alleged sexual assault and the physical assault of the 3-year-old child, Braun was accused of assaulting a nurse. The outlets reported that he violently swung a hospital IV pole at the nurse while threatening to “f—ing kill” her.
Other reported incidents of misconduct included threatening and grabbing the arm of a fellow congregant at a New York City synagogue. The Times also reported that Braun repeatedly evaded bridge tolls in New York City while driving his Lamborghini and Ferrari, per prosecutors. The court filings noted that he had also failed to pay a $100,000 fine levied at his 2019 sentencing.
In a court filing ahead of the sentencing, prosecutors called Braun a “serious danger to the community,” citing his “brazen and violent conduct” that “caused fear and terror in his victims,” according to ABC News.
Braun’s original sentence was for drug dealing and money laundering. He was a high-ranking member of an international drug smuggling operation that moved approximately 220,460 pounds of marijuana across the Canadian border and into the United States more than 10 years ago.
Federal prosecutors began investigating Braun when he was one of the largest marijuana dealers operating in New York City. This prompted him to flee to Israel, The New York Times reported. He later returned to the United States after being placed on the Interpol list and pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in 2010.
His sentencing was delayed for years until 2019, when Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto of Federal District Court in Brooklyn ordered him to serve 10 years in prison. Roughly one year after Braun began his sentence in 2020, President Trump granted him clemency in January 2021.
The New York Times reported that Braun was added to the clemency list following lobbying by his family, who used connections to Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law.
The 27-month sentence was handed down by Judge Matsumoto, the same judge who imposed Braun’s initial 10-year term in 2019. Following the prison term, Matsumoto ruled that Braun will be required to undergo rehabilitation treatment for drug abuse and mental illness.
Braun is the eighth person pardoned or granted clemency by President Trump who later faced new criminal charges, The New York Times reports. Trump issued the pardons and commutations on the final day of his first term in office.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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