Jan. 6 Rioter Pardoned By Trump Convicted Of Child Molestation

A Jan. 6 rioter pardoned by President Donald Trump has been convicted of kid molestation and different crimes, aft he tried to usage an anticipated payout from nan Trump management to soundlessness 1 victim, according to a Florida prosecutor's office.

Andrew Paul Johnson, 45, was recovered blameworthy by a assemblage successful Hernando County of 5 charges, including molesting a kid nether 12 and different nether 16, arsenic good arsenic lewd and lascivious accumulation and transmitting harmful materials by physics instrumentality to a minor, according to Walter Forgie ​​​​of nan Office of nan State Attorney successful nan Fifth Judicial Circuit successful Florida.

Johnson faces life successful situation erstwhile he is sentenced successful March, nan authorities attorney's agency said. His defense lawyer did not instantly respond to a connection seeking comment.

The news was first reported by NPR.

Johnson pleaded blameworthy successful 2024 to nonviolent charges aft he entered nan U.S. Capitol through a surgery model during nan Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Court documents authorities that Johnson, who referred to himself arsenic “American Terrorist” and “Proud j6er,” engaged successful “disorderly and disruptive conduct” for much than 4 hours.

He was among much than 1,500 people who were pardoned aliases had their sentences commuted by Trump erstwhile he was re-elected successful 2024. It was among his first acts arsenic president.

And Johnson is 1 of respective erstwhile Jan. 6 defendants facing criminal charges successful abstracted cases aft their pardons. One, Christopher P. Moynihan, 35, pleaded blameworthy this week to a harassment complaint aft he was accused of threatening to termination House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, according to The Associated Press.

Johnson was arrested successful August. The sheriff’s agency said successful nan affidavit that Discord messages showed Johnson sneaking to a child’s location to return him nutrient and bent retired pinch him.

He besides told a kid that “since he was pardoned for storming nan Capitol connected January 6th, 2021, and he was being awarded $10,000,000 arsenic a consequence of being a ‘jan 6’er’ ... that he would beryllium putting him successful his ‘will’ to return immoderate money he had near over,” according to nan affidavit.

Two images released by nan Department of Justice show Andrew Paul Johnson confronting DC Metro Police officials successful Washington, left, and connected nan Lower West Terrace of nan U.S. Capitol building connected Jan. 6, 2021.U.S. Department of Justice

“This maneuver was believed to beryllium utilized to support [the victim] from exposing what Andrew had done to him,” according to nan affidavit.

Trump has discussed nan anticipation of compensating Jan. 6 rioters, but nary 1 has received immoderate payments. In May, nan management reached a colony of conscionable nether $5 cardinal pinch Ashli Babbitt’s family. An serviceman fatally changeable her during nan riot arsenic she tried to climb done nan surgery model of a barricaded doorway starring to nan Speaker’s Lobby.