By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – A former Illinois State University student, convicted of a felony a quarter-century ago for his role in a campus credit card scam, has convinced Gov. Bruce Rauner to grant him a pardon so that he can carry a firearm.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board said the governor granted a pardon for Brandon O’Neal, who pleaded guilty to forgery in the 1991 case.

O’Neal was sentenced to 2 1/2-years probation, two-weeks in the McLean County Jail, 200 hours of community service work, and he paid $2,000 restitution.

A Prisoner Review Board spokesman said O’Neal became a dentist and provided free dental work to people who can’t afford it, and O’Neal described his behavior as abhorrent when he was a 19-year old ISU student.

The spokesman said O’Neal was pardoned once before by then-Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn, but the action did not restore O’Neal’s firearm ownership rights.

In his latest petition, O’Neal said he would like to hunt with his father, grandfather, and son.

The pardon was among seven clemency petitions granted Friday by the Governor, who denied 87 other petitions.

This is the 19th set of petitions Rauner has reviewed since he became governor.

The governor’s office said each person granted clemency has recently gone through a criminal background check through the Illinois State Police’s Law Enforcement Agencies Data System.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]