Trump Pardons Emory Jones, Clearing 2000 Federal Drug Conviction After 16-Year Sentence
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 5
Trump Pardons Emory Jones, Clearing 2000 Federal Drug Conviction After 16-Year Sentence
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 5
Summary
Emory Jones, a Roc Nation executive and longtime Jay-Z associate, was among 30 people Trump pardoned on Sept. 3, wiping out his federal drug conviction.
Jones had pleaded guilty in 1999 to cocaine-distribution conspiracy and received a 188-month sentence in 2000, later cut by 37 months to 151 months after supporters including Jay-Z backed his bid.
Jay-Z told the court in 2009 he would hire Jones at Roc Apparel Group on a $50,000 starting salary, arguing his intelligence, work ethic and interpersonal skills would benefit the company.
Alice Marie Johnson, now working with the White House as a pardon adviser, announced the clemency round and said Jones' post-prison career showed the value of second chances.
Jones now serves as Roc Nation's head of Lifestyle and holds an executive role at Paper Planes, underscoring how the pardon closes a case tied to his earlier drug conviction.