NBA YoungBoy Walks Free with Trump’s Help but Utah Officials Aren’t Letting It Slide

NBA YoungBoy just got a fresh start thanks to Donald Trump.

The Louisiana rapper had his probation wiped clean after the former president granted him a full pardon, clearing his name from multiple legal battles including identity theft and forgery in Utah, plus a separate federal gun case.

After the decision, YoungBoy released a personal statement thanking Trump directly and highlighting the importance of this second chance in his life.

“I want to thank President Trump for granting me a pardon and giving me the opportunity to keep building as a man, as a father, and as an artist,” he said.

“This moment means a lot. It opens the door to a future I’ve worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this. Big thanks to the Pardon Czar, Ms. Alice Marie Johnson, for fighting for second chances for so many people, and to my lawyer, Brittany K. Barnett, for being in my corner and all your hard work to make this possible. And thank you to everyone who believed in me.”

Johnson, a prominent activist known for her work on prison reform, and Barnett, a criminal justice attorney, were key figures in securing the pardon.

While YB’s fans celebrated, law enforcement officials in Utah were quick to respond and they didn’t hold back. Cache County Sheriff D. Chad Jensen and County Attorney Taylor Sorensen released a public statement calling out the narrative that their justice system is somehow broken.

“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.’ 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.”

Adding fuel to the fire, Utah State Representative Trevor Lee posted and quickly deleted a tweet saying, “As a state we should still go after him.”

As of now, no further legal action has been announced. But Utah’s public response to the pardon shows this situation may be far from over.