A Florida-based diver thought he was doing the right thing when he freed a group of sharks—but instead, it led to a felony charge and, years later, a presidential pardon from Donald Trump.

On May 28, Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr. were two of the sixteen recipients of Trump’s full pardons after the pair were convicted in 2020 of theft of property within special maritime jurisdiction.

Mansell, 31, of Jupiter, Fla., reflected on the fateful day leading to his conviction and the eventual unexpected pardon from the White House.

Though the felony remains technically on record, Mansell said the practical implications of the pardon allow him to continue his work.

“The felony is fully forgiven so now I can vote, and I can own a firearm from what I understand,” he said. “And most importantly, it expedites getting travel visas for my work in conservation.”

Tanner Mansell shared that he was shocked when learning he was the recipient of a Presidential Pardon following his 2020 conviction. (Used with Permission via Tannerunderwater)

Asked how his view of government and justice had evolved, Mansell admitted, “At first, I was like, I lost a lot of faith in it. I felt like it was just unfair, but now I’m thankful for the due process.”

“I’ve learned so much through this process,” he said. “I’ve always considered myself a law-abiding citizen, somebody that doesn’t break the law and I respect law enforcement and commercial fisherman.”

“I got through into this political battle between commercial fisheries and shark diving tourism and it’s tough, but now I’m on the other side,” he said. “At first I lost a lot of faith in the criminal justice system and now, a bit of that faith in the justice system is restored. There are a lot of checks and balances for a reason.”

Mansell remains committed to shark conservation and hopeful his case will raise awareness. 

“This case never should have been filed,” Mansell’s attorney, Ian Goldstein, said in a statement. “These gentlemen made an honest mistake and were trying to save sharks from what they believed to be an illegal longline fishing setup. I can’t think of two individuals more deserving of a Presidential Pardon.”