Trump pardons Jay-Z associate Emory Jones after federal drug conviction

Emory Jones, longtime friend and business associate of Jay-Z, has been granted a pardon from President Donald Trump .

Jones, an executive with Jay-Z's Roc Nation, was sentenced to nearly 16 years in 2000 on federal drug charges.

Thanks in part to a letter from the hip-hop mogul, his sentence was reduced by 37 months, but now Trump has given him a completely clean slate.

The news was shared this week by Alice Marie Johnson, who was pardoned by Trump in 2020 after being sentenced to life in prison on a nonviolent drug charge in 1996.

She now works with the White House as the "pardon czar." JELLY ROLL GRANTED PARDON BY TENNESSEE GOVERNOR IN CHRISTMAS SEASON CLEMENCY DECISION "Yesterday was a powerful day for second chances," Johnson wrote on Instagram .

"I am deeply grateful to President @realdonaldtrump for granting clemency and pardons to 30 deserving individuals whose cases we carefully reviewed and brought forward — and to the White House Counsel team, led by Will Scharf, for the hard work behind these decisions.

"Among them is Emory Jones, who served nearly 16 years in federal prison and came home determined to build a different life.

Today he is an entrepreneur and creative leader whose journey reminds us how much people can grow — and how much good they can still do." TODD CHRISLEY RECALLS EMOTIONAL PHONE CALL WITH DAUGHTER SAVANNAH AFTER CONTROVERSIAL TRUMP PARDON In 1999, Jones pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

The following year, he was sentenced to 188 months, nearly 16 years, in prison, with five years supervised release.

Jones' legal team submitted a request for a reduction of his sentence in 2009, and, as part of their request, it submitted a series of letters from people familiar with Jones, including Jay-Z.

In a letter to the judge, Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter , wrote that he'd be offering Jones an executive assistant job with Roc Apparel Group upon his release, with a starting salary of $50,000.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS "As you might expect, this position needs to be filled as soon as possible," he wrote.

"It is my strong desire to have Mr.

Jones fill this position.