CRBC News
Culture
Society
Security
Health
Conflict
Science
Technology
Politics
Environment
Lifestyle
Economy

Arkansas AG Seeks to Enforce 31-Day State Term for Trump‑Pardoned Nursing Home Operator

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin asked a Pulaski County judge to order Joseph Schwartz, a nursing home operator pardoned by President Trump, to report within seven days and serve 31 days of his state sentence. Schwartz pleaded guilty in a federal $38 million employment-tax case; his state one-year sentence runs concurrently with the federal term. The state says he still owes more than $1 million in restitution and fees and calls him a flight risk, while Schwartz’s lawyer says the motion lacks merit.

05:24 AM, 12/04/2025Politics
Arkansas AG Seeks to Enforce 31-Day State Term for Trump‑Pardoned Nursing Home Operator

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has asked a Pulaski County judge to order Joseph Schwartz, a former nursing home operator who was recently pardoned by President Donald Trump, to serve 31 days of a state sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

In a court filing Tuesday, Griffin requested that the judge give Schwartz seven days to report to state custody to complete the portion of his one-year state sentence equal to one-third of the term — the minimum required under Arkansas law before an inmate may be eligible for parole. Schwartz has already served 90 days in state custody.

Schwartz pleaded guilty in federal court last year for his role in an employment tax scheme that left roughly $38 million unpaid to the IRS. Federal prosecutors say Schwartz, who ran New Jersey-based Skyline Management Group, caused taxes to be withheld from employees at health care and rehabilitation facilities in 11 states but did not remit more than $38 million in employment taxes between October 2017 and May 2018. President Trump issued a pardon for Schwartz last month.

Under a state plea agreement, Schwartz received a one-year state sentence to run concurrently with his federal term. In filings, Griffin argued that concurrent sentencing does not relieve Schwartz of outstanding obligations to the state.

“In addition to his prison time, he still owes more than $1 million to the state in restitution and fees,” said Jeff LeMaster, a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office. “We will ensure he fulfills all of his obligations to the state.”

Griffin also wrote that Schwartz should be considered a flight risk. Schwartz’s attorney, Kevin Marino, called the motion meritless and said the defense is confident Schwartz will prevail in opposing the request.

“We do not believe that motion is well-made, and we’re confident Mr. Schwartz will prevail,” Marino said.

The court will decide whether to order Schwartz to report to state prison. The motion highlights the tension between federal pardons and concurrent state sentences, and it underscores the state’s effort to collect restitution and enforce its own criminal judgments despite the presidential pardon.

Similar Articles

Trending