Vet’s Capitol pardon includes different weapons charge

WASHINGTON — According to a recent court filing, the U.S. Justice Department has determined that a presidential pardon granted to a military veteran for his involvement in storming the U.S. Capitol extends to his conviction for possessing stolen grenades and classified information. The veteran in question, Jeremy Brown, a 20-year Army veteran, received a sentence of seven years and three months in April 2023. This sentence followed his conviction in Florida on weapons-related charges.

Federal agents uncovered stolen Army grenades, an unregistered rifle, and a pilfered classified document while searching Brown’s Florida home as part of their investigation into his participation in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. At the time of the pardon, charges against him for his actions on January 6 were still pending. Former President Donald Trump extended pardons to him and numerous others involved in the riot on his initial return to the Oval Office.

However, it wasn’t until a recent Tuesday that the Justice Department confirmed that Trump’s pardon also applied to Brown’s Florida conviction. A filing by the U.S. Attorney’s office indicated that this conclusion was reached after discussions with Justice Department leadership. Both the Justice Department and White House have refrained from commenting further on this development.

This interpretation aligns with previous situations where a Capitol riot defendant faced separate charges. Initially, prosecutors had deemed the pardon irrelevant to the discovery of firearms at Daniel Edwin Wilson’s Kentucky residence, but a recent filing in Washington, D.C., clarified that the pardon included Wilson’s gun charge conviction as well.

Authorities discovered six firearms and approximately 4,800 rounds of ammunition at Wilson’s home, despite his previous felony convictions, which prohibited him from possessing firearms. However, not all involved in January 6 events have been pardoned for other offenses.

The Justice Department plans to continue prosecuting a man arrested in June 2023 near former President Barack Obama’s home with firearms and ammunition, asserting that the charges are independent of the pardon. While charges related to the riot have been dropped for Taylor Taranto, the firearm offenses he faces remain unaffected by the pardon.

Additionally, the pardon does not extend to Edward Kelley, who faces a conspiracy to murder federal employees following active plotting against law enforcement. Kelley’s conviction occurred in November, encompassing charges such as conspiracy to murder federal employees, and his sentencing is scheduled for May.