A man from Lawrence, previously sentenced to a decade in prison for drug trafficking and money laundering, has been detained once again after breaching the conditions of his federal probation. This comes after Jonathan Braun, aged 41, experienced multiple legal issues since his sentence was reduced last year. His run-ins with the law ranged from intimidating a healthcare worker, inappropriately touching his nanny, threatening another man at a synagogue, assaulting both his spouse and her father, to pushing a toddler on the ground following a Sabbath dinner.
The most recent incident involving Braun took place during a Sabbath meal in his Lawrence residence on the 29th of March. He purportedly lost his temper, leading to a violent episode in which the father of the child also ended up assaulted. As a result of this event, the District Attorney of Nassau County brought three felony charges against Braun, including second-degree assault of a minor, endangering a minor’s welfare, and third-degree assault.
The judge in charge of Braun’s federal case has been kept informed of these legal altercations, observing the situation closely ever since Braun’s initial arrest in August of the previous year. Braun had initially been sentenced for money laundering and marijuana smuggling, but his sentence was shortened by former President Donald Trump on January 19, 2019, the last day of Trump’s initial term.
Despite the reduction in his punishment, Braun was bound by the obligations of his clemency, which included a five-year period of post-release supervision entrusted to the Department of Probation of the Eastern District of New York. This conditional release imposed an obligation on Braun to clear all his federal court fines, refrain from committing any further crimes, avoid consuming any drugs, and remain outside prison.
In spite of these mandates, Braun has faced half a dozen separate charges within the span of a year. Many of these alleged crimes involved violence. Beyond his violent tendencies, Braun was also booked for evading toll fees while driving his white Lamborghini and black Ferrari vehicles across the Atlantic Beach toll bridge without license plates.
The presiding judge cited seven instances of Braun violating probation conditions, which included a positive test for amphetamine, further emphasizing that his freedom was contingent on him steering clear of adding to his criminal record with either federal, state or local crimes. The judge made it clear Braun’s alleged assault on a 3-year-old child was a serious violation, known as a Grade A violation, for which he may end up serving another two and a half years in a federal penitentiary.
His other infringements are classified as Grade C violations, threatening him with a potential 9-month imprisonment term. The judge also recalled earlier concerns about Braun’s behavior that surfaced even before his release from the Otisville federal prison in 2021 following a year-long sentence.
Given the severity of Braun’s alleged offences, the prosecutor appealed to the judge to hold Braun in custody until a hearing for the violations can take place. They pointed out that Braun’s alleged violence affected not just those acquainted with him, but indiscriminately targeted strangers, children, as well as the elderly. There are no grounds to assume Braun does not pose a threat to the community, they emphasized.
In addition to his local offences, the judge pointed out that Braun had a history of flight—which was evident when he fled to Israel during his federal case. As a result, the potential for Braun to escape justice exists. This adds to the complexity of the situation surrounding him and raises the stakes for community safety.
Braun seemed to display a level of agitation during the court proceedings, audaciously offering to act as his own legal counsel. He remarked, ‘Why should someone I just met 20 minutes ago have a better chance of speaking for me than I can? I had the chance to attend law school but chose not to. I am perfectly capable of self-representation due to my intelligence.’
Braun’s financial obligations concerning his federal case, including his court fines, have been mostly ignored or paid sporadically, as observed by Judge Matsumoto. Braun apparently receives support from his parents, which the judge interpreted as evidence of some financial security on his part—gleaned from a report produced by the Probation Department.
Further pointing to his evidently comfortable financial situation proven by his ownership of a Lamborghini, the judge noted, ‘When someone drives a vehicle of that standard, it’s clear he has financial resources.’ Braun was also mandated by the court to seek mental health treatment.
Braun, however, has lodged several complaints about this particular aspect of his after-care. As observed by Matsumoto, Braun hasn’t done enough to alleviate the fear he poses considerable risk to the community.
In light of all these factors, Judge Matsumoto has scheduled a hearing for the 10th of April to re-evaluate his detention conditions and take an informed decision regarding his future confinement.
The post Disgraced Lawrence Man Faces New Charges for Violating Probation appeared first on Real News Now.
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