Rapper NBA Youngboy, who has lived in Utah in recent years and faced charges here, announced Wednesday that he is among several people in recent days to have been pardoned by President Donald Trump.
The rapper — born Kentrell Gaulden — expressed his gratitude to the president in a social media post, saying the decision will give him the opportunity to continue building his life "as a man, as a father, and as an artist."
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"This moment means a lot," the rapper said in a statement. "It opens the door to a future I've worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this."
"And thank you to everyone who believed in me," he added. "I'm grateful. I'm Focused. I'm Ready."
Gaulden, 25, was arrested last year in Utah on multiple offenses, including allegedly of running a prescription drug ring that fraudulently obtained drugs from local pharmacies. This happened while he was on house arrest in Utah with a trial for federal gun-related charges out of Louisiana.
In November, he pleaded "no contest" to the Utah charges, which allowed him to avoid further jail time and instead pay a $25,000 fee.
In December, he pleaded guilty in his federal case and was sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison.
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Gaulden is just one of several notable figures to receive pardons or have their sentences commuted in recent days. President Trump on Tuesday said he intends to also pardon reality television stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were sentenced in 2022 on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion.
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Additionally, the president signaled on Monday that he will issue an "unconditional pardon" for Former Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins, who was convicted and sentenced in March on federal bribery charges linked to a so-called cash for badges scheme.
President Trump has hastily used his pardon power since taking office — mostly for those he believes were victimized by a politicized justice system. Just hours after being inaugurated in January, the president also pardoned about 1,500 of those charged and convicted of offenses related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
