Fact Check: Was a man sentenced to seven years in prison simply for fixing his own car?

Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC) publishes daily vetted fact checks from verified IFCN-approved sources. Each claim is independently reviewed for accuracy and context.


Claimant: Donald Trump (R)


Claim: “They gave a man seven years in jail” because “he fixed his own car.”


Rating: FALSE


Explanation: Trump appeared to reference Troy Lake, who pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions monitoring systems on hundreds of commercial trucks. Lake served seven months of a one-year sentence and was not prosecuted for merely repairing his own vehicle.


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Date: 06/13/2026


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Last Updated on June 13, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check