President Trump pardons rapper NBA YoungBoy

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — NBA YoungBoy, who was arrested in Utah for allegedly being involved in a prescription fraud ring, was one of several pardoned by President Donald Trump on Wednesday.

Drew Findling, an attorney for NBA YoungBoy, confirmed that he had been pardoned to Rolling Stone, although he did not file the pardon application.

The rapper, whose legal name is Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, made a statement regarding the pardon on his Instagram story, which reads:

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. This moment means a lot. It opens the door to a future I’ve worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this.

Big thanks to the Pardon Czar, Ms. Alice Marie Johnson, for fight for second chances for so many people, and to my lawyer Brittany K. Barneet, for being in my corner and all your hard work to make this possible.

And thank you to everyone who believed in me.

I’m grateful. I’m Focused. I’m Ready.
NBA Youngboy’s story on Instagram

Gaulden was taken into custody last year. He was accused of running a prescription drug ring from drugs fraudulently obtained from local pharmacies and faced 46 charges, including patterns of unlawful activity, unlawful conduct-pharmacy practices, identity fraud, and forgery.

He had been accused of calling in prescriptions for Promethazine with Codeine — what is known as a heavily abused cough suppressant — in pharmacies throughout Cache County, according to the Cache County Sheriff’s Office.

In November 2024, Gaulden pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree felony identity fraud, two counts of third-degree felony forgery, and six counts of misdemeanor unlawful pharmacy conduct. Gaulden entered a “no contest” plea to the remaining charges.

At the time, Gaulden had been on house arrest in Utah with a trial for federal gun-related charges in Louisiana.

In November, he entered a “no contest” plea that resolved the state’s charges against him, meaning his four felony charges were reduced to Class A Misdemeanors and he was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.

He settled two sets of federal charges against him, one with a 23-month sentence and the other ordering five years of probation and a $200,000 fine. He had been released earlier this year.

Gaulden was one of several pardoned during a clemency spree Wednesday. According to NewsNation, former Rep. Michael Grimm, who had served seven months in prison following pleading guilty to felony tax fraud, was granted a full pardon.

Trump also commuted the sentence of Larry Hoover, known for co-founding the Gangster Disciples and having served multiple life sentences in prison. The president’s action commutes Hoover’s federal sentence, but he will still serve a state sentence, NewsNation reports.

Former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, who pleaded guilty in a corruption investigation and was later convicted on federal charges, was also pardoned, as well as reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted on tax evasion and bank fraud charges in 2022, according to NewsNation.