Jon Ponder

{{short description|American thrice-convicted bank-robber}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Jon Ponder | honorific_suffix = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Jon Ponder in 2020 (cropped).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Ponder in August 2020 | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | disappeared_date = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | criminal_charge = | criminal_penalty = 5 years in prison | criminal_status = Pardoned }} thumb|December 2020 pardon granted by Donald Trump '''Jon Donyae Ponder''' is an American thrice-convicted bank-robber who after his release in 2009 has founded the Hope for Prisoners program in Nevada which helps former prisoners to reintegrate into society.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schoenmann|first=Joe|date=April 23, 2019|title=Hope For Felons Is Real In Nevada|url=https://knpr.org/knpr/2019-04/hope-felons-real-nevada|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 26, 2020|website=Nevada Public Radio|language=en}}</ref>

Ponder's work was put into the national spotlight when President Donald Trump granted him a pardon during the 2020 Republican National Convention.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Villarreal|first=Daniel|date=August 25, 2020|title=Donald Trump Pardons John Ponder, Hope For Prisoners Founder Scheduled to Speak at RNC|url=https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-pardons-hope-prisoners-founder-scheduled-speak-rnc-day-2-1527616|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 26, 2020|website=Newsweek}}</ref> The pardon was publicized shortly before Ponder was scheduled to appear as a speaker at the event.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Snell|first=Kelsey|date=August 25, 2020|title=Ex-Bank Robber Receives Pardon Right Before His Convention Speech|url=https://apps.npr.org/liveblogs/20200825-rnc/#jon-ponder-and-richard-beasley-21|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 26, 2020|website=NPR}}</ref>

== Life == Ponder grew up in New York City where he got involved with gangs as a teenager. He was first arrested for armed robbery at the age of 16.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Juhl|first=Wesley|date=October 16, 2016|title=Las Vegas-based program gives prisoners hope after release|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/las-vegas-based-program-gives-prisoners-hope-after-release/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 26, 2020|website=Las Vegas Review-Journal|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2004, he was arrested for bank robbery in Las Vegas and sent to federal prison in Pennsylvania.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Valley|first=Jackie|date=August 23, 2012|title=Re-entry programs give former prisoners hope in the real world - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/2012/aug/23/re-entry-programs-give-former-prisoners-hope-real-/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 26, 2020|website=Las Vegas Sun|language=en}}</ref>

== Hope for Prisoners == In 2009, he founded Hope for Prisoners to enable former convicts to reintegrate into society, working with law enforcement (including the FBI agent who arrested Ponder) and local businesses.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> According to researchers at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, between January and June 2015, 64% of participants of the program found stable employment while 6% of participants were arrested again.<ref name=":1" />

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponder, Jon}} Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American bank robbers Category:People pardoned by Donald Trump