Jonathan Braun, a Long Island man whose federal prison sentence had been commuted by President Donald Trump, was sent back to prison Monday after violating the terms of his release and facing several new charges. Braun was sentenced to 27 months behind bars.
According to The Associated Press, the charges against him included swinging an IV pole at a hospital nurse, threatening a synagogue member, groping his family’s live-in nanny, and evading bridge tolls. Speaking in Brooklyn federal court, Braun apologized to his victims and family, acknowledging the role of his substance abuse and mental health struggles in his behavior.
“I have no one to blame but me,” he said, adding that the seven months he spent detained earlier this year “saved my life” by helping him get sober.
Judge Kiyo Matsumoto told Braun she hoped his “expressions of remorse” and promises to “lead a law-abiding life” were sincere. “Don’t squander it,” she warned.
Braun was originally sentenced in 2019 to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking charges involving over 100,000 kilograms of marijuana smuggled from Canada into the U.S. He served about a year before Trump commuted his sentence in January 2021, though conditions of his release, including staying out of trouble, remained in effect.
Victims recounted the impact of Braun’s recent conduct. His former nanny, testifying by phone, said she endured “deep emotional trauma” and lasting trust issues. A synagogue congregant, Edward Miller, described Braun’s actions as a drug-fueled “rampage” that terrified the community, though he noted, “He’s not a hardened criminal… He’s a sick man.”
Prosecutors had recommended the maximum five-year sentence, calling Braun’s conduct “brazen and violent” and a “serious danger to the community.” “This defendant has had many, many chances,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar said.
Braun’s defense attorney argued that his violent incidents were fueled by a “significant psychiatric crisis” and hallucinogenic drug use. She noted steps he had taken to rebuild his life, including meeting with a psychiatrist and speaking with a rabbi twice a week.
Incidents included swinging an IV pole at hospital staff in January, assaulting his children’s nanny in February, threatening a synagogue member in March, and evading bridge tolls dozens of times while failing to pay court-ordered fines.
The sentence reflects the court’s decision to hold Braun accountable while acknowledging the complex mental health and substance abuse issues behind his actions.
