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CTV News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Trump issues series of pardons including for rapper known as ‘NBA YoungBoy'
Kentrell Gaulden, also known as NBA YoungBoy, smiles as he is led out of the courtroom by his defense attorney Zack Findling following a hearing in 1st District Court, Thursday, May 9, 2024, in Logan, Utah. (Eli Lucero/The Herald Journal via AP) WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump issued a series of pardons on Wednesday, awarding them to a former New York congressman, a Connecticut governor, a rapper known as 'NBA YoungBoy,' a labour union leader and a onetime Army officer who flouted safety measures during the coronavirus pandemic. Trump's actions mixed his willingness to pardon prominent Republicans and other supporters, donors and friends with the influence of Alice Marie Johnson, whom Trump recently named his pardon czar after he offered her a pardon in 2020. He commuted the sentence of Larry Hoover, a former Chicago gang leader serving a life sentence at a supermax prison in Colorado. Hoover was first imprisoned in connection with a murder in 1973, and was convicted of running a criminal enterprise in 1998, but later renounced his criminal past and petitioned for a reduced sentence. He remains incarcerated on state charges. Louisiana rap artist NBA YoungBoy, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden and whose stage moniker stands for 'Never Broke Again,' also received a Trump pardon. In 2024, he was sentenced to just under two years in prison on gun-related charges after he acknowledged having possessed weapons despite being a convicted felon. Gaulden also pleaded guilty to his role in a prescription drug fraud ring in Utah. Gaulden's and the other pardons were confirmed Wednesday evening by two White House officials who spoke only on condition of anonymity to detail actions that had not yet been made public. In a statement posted online, Gaulden said, 'I want to thank President Trump for granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building — as a man, as a father, and as an artist.' He said this 'opens the door to a future I've worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this,' and thanked Johnson. Trump has spent the week issuing high-profile pardons. Video released by a White House aide showed Johnson in the Oval Office on Tuesday, as Trump called the daughter of Todd and Julie Chrisley of the reality show 'Chrisley Knows Best ' to say he was pardoning them. Their show spotlighted the family's extravagant lifestyle, but the couple was convicted of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than US$30 million in loans by submitting false documents Their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, addressed the Republican convention last summer and had long said her parents were treated unfairly. Also Wednesday, Trump pardoned James Callahan, a New York union leader who pleaded guilty to failing to report $315,000 in gifts from an advertising firm and was about to be sentenced. And the president pardoned former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, a Republican who served from 1995 to 2004 and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for charges related to concealing his involvement in two federal election campaigns. He also pardoned Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who resigned from Congress after being convicted of tax fraud. Grimm won reelection in 2014 despite being under indictment for underreporting wages and revenue at a restaurant that he ran. Grimm eventually resigned after pleading guilty and serving eight months in prison. Last year, Grimm was paralyzed from the chest down when he was thrown off a horse during a polo tournament. Yet another Trump pardon was issued for Army Lt. Mark Bradshaw, who was convicted in 2022 of reporting to work without undergoing a COVID-19 test. Alice Marie Johnson was convicted in 1996 on eight criminal counts related to a Memphis-based cocaine trafficking operation. Trump commuted her life sentence in 2018 at the urging of celebrity Kim Kardashian West, allowing for Johnson's early release. Johnson then served as the featured speaker on the final night of the 2020 Republican National Convention, and Trump subsequently pardoned her before more recently naming her his pardons czar. ___ Will Weissert, The Associated Press
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Trump pardons rapper NBA Youngboy, who was sentenced for gun-related charges
Louisiana rap artist NBA YoungBoy, who was sentenced to just under two years in prison on gun-related charges, was pardoned by President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The rapper is among a number of high-profile people Trump pardoned this week, including a former New York congressman, a labor union leader and a reality TV star couple. 'I want to thank President Trump for granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building — as a man, as a father, and as an artist," NBA YoungBoy, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, said in a statement posted online. Gaulden's pardon was confirmed Wednesday evening by two White House officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail actions that had not yet been formally made public. In 2024, Gaulden was sentenced by a federal judge in Utah after he acknowledged possessing weapons despite being a convicted felon. He reached an agreement that resolved Utah state charges against him and settled two sets of federal charges against him — one carried a 23-month sentence and the other ordered five years of probation and a $200,000 fine. Gaulden was released from federal prison in March and sent to home confinement after receiving credit for time served, according to his attorney Drew Findling. With home confinement finished last month, the pardon means he won't have to follow the terms of his probation, including drug testing, he said. Findling said he was thrilled Gaulden's legal saga had reached an end. 'From Louisiana to Utah the battles have been endless, and now he can concentrate on first and foremost his family, and then, of course, his amazing career,' Findling said in a statement. The rapper has acknowledged that he possessed a Glock 21 .45-caliber pistol and a Masterpiece Arms MPA30T 9mm handgun while filming a rap video in Baton Rouge. He has also said he had a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol at his home in Huntsville, Utah. He had agreed to give up the guns. Gaulden had previously been convicted in Louisiana of aggravated assault with a firearm, according to his statement released in advance of the plea agreement. He had also pleaded guilty in November to his role in a prescription drug fraud ring that operated out of his home in Utah. He had to pay a $25,000 fine and was given no prison time. The rapper, whose stage moniker stands for 'Never Broke Again,' is preparing to set out on a major U.S. tour in September. He has achieved four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and one Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. His music includes '38 Baby,' 'Outside Today' and Tyler, The Creator's song, 'Wusyaname,' on which he is featured with Ty Dolla $ign. That collaboration earned them a Grammy nomination in 2022 for Best Melodic Rap Performance. ___
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Trump pardons rapper NBA Youngboy, who was sentenced for gun-related charges
Louisiana rap artist NBA YoungBoy, who was sentenced to just under two years in prison on gun-related charges, was pardoned by President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The rapper is among a number of high-profile people Trump pardoned this week, including a former New York congressman, a labor union leader and a reality TV star couple. 'I want to thank President Trump for granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building — as a man, as a father, and as an artist,' NBA YoungBoy, whose real name is Kentrell Gaulden, said in a statement posted online. Gaulden's pardon was confirmed Wednesday evening by two White House officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail actions that had not yet been formally made public. In 2024, Gaulden was sentenced by a federal judge in Utah after he acknowledged possessing weapons despite being a convicted felon. He reached an agreement that resolved Utah state charges against him and settled two sets of federal charges against him — one carried a 23-month sentence and the other ordered five years of probation and a $200,000 fine. Gaulden was released from federal prison in March and sent to home confinement after receiving credit for time served, according to his attorney Drew Findling. With home confinement finished last month, the pardon means he won't have to follow the terms of his probation, including drug testing, he said. Findling said he was thrilled Gaulden's legal saga had reached an end. 'From Louisiana to Utah the battles have been endless, and now he can concentrate on first and foremost his family, and then, of course, his amazing career,' Findling said in a statement. The rapper has acknowledged that he possessed a Glock 21 .45-caliber pistol and a Masterpiece Arms MPA30T 9mm handgun while filming a rap video in Baton Rouge. He has also said he had a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic pistol at his home in Huntsville, Utah. He had agreed to give up the guns. Gaulden had previously been convicted in Louisiana of aggravated assault with a firearm, according to his statement released in advance of the plea agreement. He had also pleaded guilty in November to his role in a prescription drug fraud ring that operated out of his home in Utah. He had to pay a $25,000 fine and was given no prison time. The rapper, whose stage moniker stands for 'Never Broke Again,' is preparing to set out on a major U.S. tour in September. He has achieved four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and one Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. His music includes '38 Baby,' 'Outside Today' and Tyler, The Creator's song, 'Wusyaname,' on which he is featured with Ty Dolla $ign. That collaboration earned them a Grammy nomination in 2022 for Best Melodic Rap Performance. ___ Associated Press writer Will Weissert in Washington contributed to this report.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Montgomery man gets seven years in federal prison on gun charge
A Montgomery man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison on gun charges. Corey Jarrod Wortham, 29, was sentenced of 84 months for being a felon in possession of a firearm, said Kevin Davidson, acting United States District Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. Following his prison term, Wortham will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, on Nov. 14, 2024, law enforcement officers in Montgomery responded to a report on a sexual assault, where the caller identified Wortham as a suspect. Officers spotted Wortham in a vehicle but he fled and was not captured. Before losing sight of Wortham, officers saw what appeared to be an AR-15 style pistol in his possession. The firearm was later recovered. More: Alabama State Trooper, three others convicted in federal drug conspiracy case Then, on Dec. 18, 2024, agents with the Montgomery Area Crime Suppression (MACS) detail spotted a vehicle matching the description of the one used in the earlier call. When agents attempted a traffic stop, the driver of the car initially refused to pull over. Law enforcement officers had to block his vehicle to prevent another escape. Inside the vehicle, agents found Wortham and a handgun. Due to prior felony convictions, Wortham is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition. He pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on Jan. 23, 2025. The investigation was conducted by members of the MACS detail, which includes the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and the Montgomery Police Department. Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at mroney@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Montgomery man gets seven years in federal prison on gun charge
Associated Press
21-05-2025
- Associated Press
Rapper Rod Wave faces more than a dozen charges, some involving a gun, in Georgia
ATLANTA (AP) — The rapper known as Rod Wave faces more than a dozen charges, some involving a gun, after he turned himself in to sheriff's officials in Georgia on Tuesday. Wave, whose real name is Rodarius Green, voluntarily surrendered to the Fulton County Sheriff's Office on warrants stemming from an April 21 police call in the Atlanta suburb of Milton, police there said. 'There is no truth to these charges,' the rapper's lawyers Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg said in a statement to The Associated Press. 'Rod Green was a victim of a burglary and committed no crimes,' they said. 'How he was even charged as a result of this situation is incomprehensible. This will absolutely be resolved favorably to Mr. Green.' Milton police responded to a home in the town north of Atlanta after a 911 report described 'a possible domestic disturbance,' police said in a statement. Officers determined that the call was related to a previously unreported burglary and the discharge of a firearm at the location, police said. They later obtained arrest warrants for Green, who was a resident of the home. The charges include aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit a felony, criminal damage to property and pointing or aiming a gun at someone, and obstructing law officers, Fulton County Jail records show. He's also accused of tampering with evidence — a felony — and obstructing law officers. He was released on bond shortly after turning himself on the same day, Tuesday, authorities said. The 26-year-old Florida rapper is celebrated for his soul-trap sound, a unique melding of R&B and rap that has earned him 11 singles certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Four of his six albums hit No. 1 on Billboard's top R&B/hip-hop albums chart, including his most recent, 2024's 'Last Lap.' This year, he contributed the sing-song title track rap 'Sinners' to Ryan Coogler's record-breaking, critically acclaimed blockbuster of the same name. Green grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida, where he has had at least one past scrape with the law before a domestic battery charge was dismissed in 2022. An ex-girlfriend had accused Green of entering her home in the Orlando area and choking her while their two children were in another room, according to an arrest warrant. The two had dated for about four years, and the girlfriend told investigators that Green accused her of seeing other men while they were broken up. Prosecutors later told court officials that the case was not suitable for prosecution. —- Associated Press Writer Maria Sherman in New York and Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed.
