On Thursday night, Wade LaLone posted a photograph to Facebook showing off his two-page pardon, an "Executive Grant of Clemency," signed by President Trump and dated July 3, 2026, according to FreightWaves. Wade LaLone, his brother Ryan LaLone, and their company Diesel Freak LLC, a performance shop in Gaylord, Michigan, received a full and unconditional pardon in the case United States v. Diesel Freak LLC, et al., case number 1:23-CR-48, in the Western District of Michigan. In 2023, federal prosecutors charged the LaLones and nine other individuals in what FreightWaves described as "one of the largest criminal diesel tampering cases ever brought." The brothers each received one-year probation, and their business took a felony conviction.
President Trump announced the pardons on Truth Social, stating he signed them for people who were "persecuted by the Biden Administration and sent to prison for fixing their car," according to FreightWaves. A White House official later confirmed 11 names in total: the LaLone brothers, Matt Geouge, Tim Clancy, Mackenzie Spurlock, Joshua Davis, Barry Pierce, Aaron Rudolf, Adam Kidan, Jack Harvard, and Jonathan Achtemeier. According to a Fox News review of federal court records cited by FreightWaves, at least eight of them were diesel mechanics or tuners prosecuted for selling or installing devices that bypass federally required emissions controls.
The Pardon and the Prosecution
The case against the LaLones and their co-defendants was part of a broader Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) crackdown on diesel emissions tampering. Matt Geouge’s case illustrates the scale of the market the government was trying to eliminate. According to his December 2021 plea agreement, reported by FreightWaves, the two companies he ran grossed more than $10 million from the sale of illegal tuning devices alone.
The 11 pardoned individuals include:
| Name | Status/Notes |
|---|---|
| Ryan LaLone | Co-owner, Diesel Freak LLC; one-year probation |
| Wade LaLone | Co-owner, Diesel Freak LLC; one-year probation |
| Diesel Freak LLC | Felony conviction |
| Matt Geouge | Plea agreement; companies grossed >$10M from illegal tuning devices |
| Tim Clancy | Diesel mechanic/tuner |
| Mackenzie Spurlock | Diesel mechanic/tuner |
| Joshua Davis | Diesel mechanic/tuner |
| Barry Pierce | Diesel mechanic/tuner |
| Aaron Rudolf | Diesel mechanic/tuner |
| Adam Kidan | Diesel mechanic/tuner |
| Jack Harvard | Diesel mechanic/tuner |
| Jonathan Achtemeier | Diesel mechanic/tuner |
The Emissions Control System
To understand why the defendants faced federal prison, one must understand the modern diesel emissions control system, which FreightWaves described as a "stack of four interlocking systems": exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), diesel particulate filter (DPF), selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and the onboard diagnostic system (OBD). The OBD not only monitors components but also enforces compliance. If the system detects tampering or a malfunction, the engine control module begins derating the truck, eventually limiting it to as little as 5 mph—a condition known as "limp mode." FreightWaves noted that for an owner-operator, a loaded truck limping at 5 mph on an interstate shoulder can mean the difference between making a truck payment and missing one.
The failure rate of these systems is extreme. Brad Bylsma, the state equipment fleet manager for the Alaska Department of Transportation, told FreightWaves in March that DEF systems account for a significant portion of the maintenance issues and costs across state-owned diesel vehicles. The article’s author also noted his personal experience: a 2023 RAM Cummins delete kit cost increased from $1,800 for 2022 and older models to $7,000 for 2023 and newer models. At 68,000 miles, the Cummins engine could no longer operate due to a DPF failure that required complete emissions system replacement.
Compliance Implications for Fleets
For trade compliance officers and fleet operators, this case underscores the tension between federal emissions regulations and the operational realities of diesel vehicles. The EPA requires manufacturers to build inducement strategies that reduce engine power and eventually force limp mode when emissions components fail or are tampered with. The high failure rates and costs of replacement push some operators toward illegal "delete kits" that remove or bypass the emissions system. The pardon, while granting clemency to 11 individuals, does not change the underlying regulatory framework. Compliance professionals should monitor EPA enforcement priorities, which remain focused on tampering and aftermarket defeat devices. The case also highlights the importance of maintaining proper documentation and working only with certified repair facilities to avoid exposure to criminal liability.
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