Judge accepts Trump pardon, dismisses Arpaio conviction

A federal judge in Phoenix presiding over the criminal case against former sheriff Joe Arpaio has accepted President Trump’s pardon, dismissing plans to sentence Arpaio.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton dismissed the conviction on Wednesday and will consider the additional requests from Arpaio’s defense lawyers to clear him of other court rulings associated with the case, AZ Central reports. 

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Bolton had previously asked for further legal arguments from Justice Department prosecutors who said it would be “just and appropriate” that all of Arpaio’s charges for contempt of the court should be withdrawn. 

Arpaio was found to be in contempt of a court order to cease racial profiling in making arrests of suspected illegal immigrants while he served as sheriff of Maricopa County in Arizona.

Bolton’s decision came after the court heard arguments from attorneys on Wednesday on the matter, after Arpaio’s scheduled sentencing hearing for Oct. 6 was canceled.

Arpaio’s attorneys also asked that all rulings and orders in the case be dismissed, according to the news outlet. Bolton said she would take that request under advisement.

Trump’s use of a rare presidential pardon spared Arpaio, who did not attend Wednesday’s hearing, from a potential sentence of six months in prison for criminal contempt of the court.

-Updated Jan. 20 9:02 a.m.