President Donald Trump spared former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio the prospect of serving jail time in granting the first pardon of his turbulent tenure, wiping away the lawman’s recent federal conviction stemming from his immigration patrols that focused on Latinos. The White House said 85-year-old Arpaio was a “worthy candidate” for the pardon, citing his “life’s work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration.” Trump granted the pardon less than a month after a judge found Arpaio guilty of a misdemeanor contempt-of-court charge in a trial that was prosecuted by the president’s own Justice Department. “I appreciate what the president did,” Arpaio told The Associated Press as he celebrated the news over an Italian restaurant meal and someone in his party ordered champagne. “I have to put it out there: Pardon, no pardon — I’ll be with him as long as he’s president.”
An after-school care counselor accused of molesting an 8-year-old girl at her school faced a Broward judge Thursday, where he was ordered held without bond.
Judge John Hurley acknowledged the young victim told Coral Springs police that 20-year-old Michael Jones "had had sexual contact with her on at least two occasions.”
Based on those accusations, Hurley ordered Jones held without bond.
Police say the 8-year-old told them Jones molested her three weeks ago, on Nov. 10. Jones was a counselor watching over the girl in an after-school care program at Forest Hills Elementary School in Coral Springs.
Jones' father, Wayne Nesbit, was in court Thursday, where he son is a college student and a part-time worker at the school. Nesbit said they were just accusations.
"This is the first time anything like that has ever happened," Nesbit said. "He's never been in trouble for anything."
Jones has been suspended as counselor by the school as he faces charges including lewd and lascivious molestation.
School officials sent letters out to all parents at Forest Hills, telling them about the accusations and asking anyone who may know something about abuse to call their child abuse unit at 954-346-1226.
