Faustino Bernadett
Pardon by Donald J. Trump
The Case
Facts on file from the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney
- Offense
- Misprison of a felony
- District
- Central District of California
- Original Sentence
- 15 months' imprisonment (surrender ordered February 26, 2021); one year's supervised release; $60,000 fine (January 17, 2020)
- Clemency Type
- Pardon — full forgiveness, restores civil rights
Case Overview & Context
Plain-English summary of the case and the legal context for this type of clemency
Case Overview
Faustino Bernadett was convicted of misprison of a felony in the Central District of California. He was sentenced on January 17, 2020, to 15 months' imprisonment (with surrender ordered for February 26, 2021), one year of supervised release, and a $60,000 fine.
Pardon Context
A pardon is an act of presidential forgiveness that removes the punishment for a federal crime and restores civil rights such as voting and gun ownership, though the conviction itself remains part of the recipient's record. Under Article II of the Constitution, the president's pardon power for federal offenses is absolute and requires no judicial review or approval from other branches of government. The president's personal reasoning for this specific grant is not publicly documented.
AI-generated summary based on public clemency records. The president's specific personal reasoning for this grant is not publicly documented.
Constitutional authority: Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution grants the President “Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States.” This power is absolute for federal crimes — Congress cannot override it, and no judicial review is required. The president is not required to publish reasons for individual grants.