Trump Frees Marylander From Life Sentence, Pardons Dozens

MARYLAND — In the final hours of his term, former President Donald Trump issued a flurry of pardons and commuted sentences, including one with Maryland ties. Trump pardoned 73 people and commuted the sentences of another 70 before he left office Wednesday.

A pardon lifts the legal penalty for somebody convicted of a crime. A commutation shortens a prison sentence or ends it early. The U.S. Constitution grants both powers to the president.

In Maryland, Trump commuted the sentence of Jawad A. Musa. The 56-year-old has previous addresses listed in Baltimore and Howard counties.

In 1991, Musa was sentenced to life in prison on charges of a nonviolent drug offense. The Gotham Gazette, a New York publication, said Musa and several others got a phone call, informing them that there was $20,000 worth of heroin on sale in the Empire State.

In reality, the caller was a police informant helping officers set up a reverse sting, the Gazette added. Still, the group gathered the money and headed north, the report stated.

The news outlet noted that the accused group showed the money and was immediately arrested. Federal court records show that Musa was charged with conspiracy to possess narcotics on Dec. 11, 1990.

The judge and the prosecutor on the case objected to the mandatory life sentence that Musa had to endure. Though the officials found Musa guilty, both thought the prison time was too long for a nonviolent crime where drugs never changed hands. Trump agreed and commuted Musa's sentence, setting him free.

"During his time in prison, Mr. Musa has strengthened his faith and taken dozens of educational courses," said Trump's announcement, which has since been removed from the White House website. "Mr. Musa is blessed with a strong supportive network in Baltimore, Maryland and has numerous offers of employment."

Another Marylander made waves ahead of Trump's anticipated pardon list: Catherine Pugh. The former Baltimore mayor was convicted of fraud and tax evasion in 2019 and perjury in 2020. Pugh resigned in 2019 after she admitted to using her state and city offices to sell her own children's books.

Pugh asked Trump to pardon or commute her sentences, which total 3.5 years. Trump did neither, and her convictions stand.

Trump did not pardon himself, any members of his family or former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, his personal attorney.

Among the others who received a last-minute pardon or commutation from Trump was Steve Bannon, his former chief strategist. Bannon was charged last August, accused of duping thousands of donors who believed their money would be used to help fulfill Trump’s chief campaign promise to build a wall along the nation’s southern border.

Bannon was accused of diverting more than $1 million to pay a salary to a campaign official and personal expenses for himself, according to The Associated Press.

The Bannon pardon was especially notable in that the prosecution was still in its early stages and a trial was likely months away, The AP reported. The pardon will now nullify the prosecution and eliminate any possibility of punishment.

“Mr. Bannon has been an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen,” the White House wrote in a news release announcing his full pardon.

Rap performers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, ex-members of Congress and other allies of the Trump family were among the others who received a pardon during the final 24 hours of the Trump presidency. Wayne received a full pardon for his conviction for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon more than 10 years ago, while Black was pardon for weapons charges in Florida.

The Associated Press and Patch Field Editor Elizabeth Janney contributed reporting to this story.

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