# Athlete Pardoned After Prosecution for Trail Violation 

President Trump has pardoned Michelino Sunseri, a trail runner who faced jail time for unknowingly violating an unpublished park regulation, cutting a switchback while breaking a Grand Teton speed record.

November 11, 2025 • News Releases 

President Trump has pardoned Michelino Sunseri, a trail runner who faced jail time for unknowingly violating an unpublished park regulation, cutting a switchback while breaking a Grand Teton speed record.

Cato Legal Fellow [Mike Fox](https://www.cato.org/people/mike-fox), who testified before Congress highlighting Sunseri’s case, notes in a [new blog post](https://www.cato.org/blog/how-setting-grand-teton-speed-record-nearly-landed-dog-dad-doghouse) that this prosecution exemplifies how federal prosecutors transform ordinary conduct into crimes using regulations never passed by Congress. Sunseri was denied his constitutional right to a jury trial due to the Supreme Court’s Petty Offense Exception.

Fox is available to discuss this case and broader implications for overcriminalization and constitutional rights. Please reach out to Madison: [mmiller@​cato.​org](mailto:mmiller@cato.org).