President Trump issued pardons on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, for two Alaska diesel mechanics who had pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act. The president signed the clemency documents on stage during a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, where he invited the two men, Zachary Czubak and Patrick Fleming, to join him at the podium. Trump stated the men were wrongly charged and described the prosecution as an example of the Justice Department targeting the Alaskan way of life.
Czubak and Fleming, co-owners of the Wasilla-based auto shop Arm Rippin Toys, pleaded guilty in 2022 to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. Federal prosecutors alleged that between July 2019 and September 2020, the men and a third co-owner, Michael Wayne Hanzuk, tampered with or removed emission control systems from at least 37 vehicles. The shop reportedly charged customers fees ranging from $1,140 to $5,445 to modify physical components and prevent onboard diagnostic systems from detecting malfunctions, which allowed the vehicles to emit higher levels of pollutants.
The three men were originally sentenced to five years of probation, $66,000 in fines, and community service. During the rally, Trump said the men had faced the possibility of 10 years in prison for "fixing an engine." Fleming addressed the crowd, stating that they were not criminals and intended to help Alaskans with diesel vehicles. The president noted he was also "taking care of" a third individual; Hanzuk had previously received a pardon in September 2026. The pardons follow a similar action in July 2026, when Trump granted clemency to another Alaska mechanic, Mac Spurlock, for similar violations.
The move highlights a shift in how federal environmental regulations are applied to vehicle modifications, specifically "defeat devices" that bypass emissions controls. Under the previous administration, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials and federal prosecutors sought to hold shop owners accountable for profit-driven environmental damage, noting that even single-vehicle modifications cause massive increases in air pollution. Conversely, supporters of the mechanics, including Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), argue that such modifications are necessary for vehicle reliability in extreme cold-weather states where standard emissions systems may malfunction.
This use of presidential clemency follows a January 2026 Justice Department announcement that it would no longer pursue criminal charges for tampering with onboard diagnostic devices under the Clean Air Act. The pardons set a precedent for the executive branch to intervene in environmental enforcement cases that it deems "overzealous." As for what happens next, the immediate legal effects of the pardons are effective as of the signing on October 13, 2026. However, it is not yet reported if the administration will pursue formal changes to EPA rules to permanently accommodate cold-weather engine modifications.