Donald Trump pardons former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio

In a statement late Friday, the White House announced that President Donald Trump granted a presidential pardon to Joe Arpaio. The move comes just weeks after Trump equated white supremacists with counter-protesters.

The White House said "Arpaio’s life and career, which began at the age of 18 when he enlisted in the military after the outbreak of the Korean War, exemplify selfless public service. After serving in the Army, Arpaio became a police officer in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas, NV and later served as a Special Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), formerly the Bureau of Narcotics. After 25 years of admirable service, Arpaio went on to lead the DEA’s branch in Arizona."

Arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt in a racial profiling case and was expected to serve no more than six months in prison.

A source from the Department of Justice revealed to CNN Friday evening that Trump did not go through regular channels for the pardon and did not work with the department on the pardon.

The office began preparing pardon documents earlier this week, according to reports. In the past, Arpaio has credited InfoWars' Alex Jones for being able to reach Trump and convince him of the pardon.

"Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough knocked Trump last week saying that Trump will likely enrage every judge in the nation simply to please white nationalists.

Arpaio was the crusader that took up Trump's "birther" conspiracy, and searched for President Barack Obama's birth certificate to invalidate his presidency.