NBA YoungBoy was pardoned by Donald Trump after pleading guilty to drug fraud in Utah, prompting local officials to reject claims of political bias in the case.
NBA YoungBoy walked free from probation and controversy after President Donald Trump granted him a pardon on Wednesday (May 28), wiping clean his Utah conviction tied to a gun charge and prescription drug fraud case that had already drawn national attention.
The 25-year-old rapper, born Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, had pleaded guilty in November 2024 to identity theft and forgery in Cache County, Utah, as part of a broader plea deal that also resolved the federal gun charges.
Trump’s pardon eliminated the five years of probation NBA YoungBoy was serving, a move the former president said was aimed at correcting what he called “a politicized and weaponized justice system.”
Local officials in Utah weren’t buying it.
“We are extremely proud of the work our investigator and prosecutors did on this case as well as grateful for all the help we received from other local and federal agencies,” said Sheriff D. Chad Jensen and Cache County Attorney Taylor Sorensen in a joint statement. “Mr. Gaulden pled guilty to the charges in this investigation, and we feel strongly the Justice System in Cache County is far from a ‘weaponized system of justice.’”
The pardon was part of a broader batch of clemency actions issued by President Trump, who has increasingly leaned on criminal justice reform as a campaign talking point.
According to ABC, the White House did not offer a detailed explanation for NBA YoungBoy’s inclusion in the group.
NBA YoungBoy had been serving a 23-month federal sentence for possessing firearms as a convicted felon, stemming from a separate 2024 case.
He was released in March 2025, having received credit for time served and completed his home confinement. The Utah charges did not result in additional prison time, but he was required to pay a $200,000 fine.
The rapper publicly thanked President Trump, criminal justice advocate Alice Marie Johnson—often referred to as the “Pardon Czar”—and attorney Brittany K. Barnett for their roles in securing his release.
With his legal troubles behind him, NBA YoungBoy is shifting back to music. He’s gearing up for his MASA Tour, a slick nod to President Trump’s MAGA movement.
NBA YoungBoy’s criminal history includes prior arrests for assault, kidnapping and weapons violations, but this latest chapter may mark a turning point in his career trajectory.
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