Pardoned Jan. 6 rioter will get life in jail for little one abuse : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2665x1500+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1c%2Fbf%2Feb2552904a69ab465ae960f16e2a%2Fjan6-andrew-paul-johnson.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2665x1500+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1c%2Fbf%2Feb2552904a69ab465ae960f16e2a%2Fjan6-andrew-paul-johnson.jpg" class="img" alt="Andrew Paul Johnson was convicted of multiple state charges of child molestation and exposing himself to children. Johnson was charged in Florida after receiving a full pardon from President Donald Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol." fetchpriority="high"/> Andrew Paul Johnson was sentenced to life in jail for sexually abusing kids. Johnson obtained a full pardon from President Donald Trump for his position within the Jan. 6 riot. Dozens of former Capitol rioters have gotten into authorized hassle since their pardons. Hernando County Sheriff's Workplace disguise caption

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Hernando County Sheriff's Workplace Simply months after President Trump's mass pardons for Jan. 6 rioters freed him from jail, a Florida man repeatedly sexually abused two middle-school aged kids.

On Thursday, the person, Andrew Paul Johnson, was sentenced to life in jail, after a Florida jury discovered him responsible of 5 felony prices, together with molestation, lewd and lascivious exhibition and transmission of fabric dangerous to a minor.

Police reported that Johnson, 45, tried to maintain the kids quiet by telling them he would share hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in restitution cash he anticipated to obtain from the Trump administration in connection along with his Jan. 6 case.

"He mentioned to not inform anyone," one among Johnson's victims testified.

Each kids later testified that they have been too afraid to inform any adults about what that they had endured, in response to trial information obtained by NPR.

"We have been scared," Johnson's different sufferer testified. "Like, we did not understand that these things was not okay as a result of we have been 12 years outdated."

NPR doesn't identify victims of sexual abuse and can be withholding the names of their dad and mom to guard their privateness.

Johnson is one among a number of pardoned Capitol riot defendants who've been arrested for brand new crimes since receiving clemency for his or her actions throughout the 2021 revolt. Opponents of Trump's mass pardons say the president's actions have instilled a way of impunity amongst members of the mob who stormed the Capitol.

"They suppose they're untouchable," mentioned Congressman Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat who served on the Home choose committee that investigated the Jan. 6 assault. Trump's pardons, Raskin advised NPR, "undoubtedly have made People much less secure."

In simply the final week, two former Jan. 6 defendants have been arrested within the Washington, D.C. space.

Jake Lang, who was charged with assaulting police with a baseball bat throughout the riot, was arrested for allegedly threatening a police officer who had additionally beforehand protected the Capitol.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7000x4669+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3c%2F73%2Ff3de996d4586babe682ac4fa982e%2Fgettyimages-1230734366.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/7000x4669+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F3c%2F73%2Ff3de996d4586babe682ac4fa982e%2Fgettyimages-1230734366.jpg" class="img" alt="Jake Lang, center, and other Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people try to storm the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC." loading="lazy"/> Jake Lang, heart, and different Trump supporters conflict with police throughout the Jan. 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Lang has gotten into new authorized hassle since Trump issued mass pardons to the Jan. 6 defendants. Brent Stirton/Getty Photos disguise caption

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Brent Stirton/Getty Photos "Public execution is the one answer for animals such as you," Lang advised the officer at a rally for the fifth anniversary of the assault, in response to prosecutors and video of the scene. Lang has pleaded not responsible.

Lang additionally appeared in courtroom this week in St. Paul, Minn., on a felony cost of damaging property after posting a video of himself pulling down an ice sculpture put up by protesters opposing the federal authorities's immigration crackdown.

In the meantime, Bryan Betancur, who already has a prolonged felony document, was additionally arrested this week on prices of assault and battery. On the time of the Capitol riot, Betancur was on probation and sporting a court-mandated GPS monitor for a previous housebreaking conviction. His newest arrest befell after movies emerged that appeared to point out him touching ladies's hair whereas using the D.C. Metro. A number of ladies have accused Betancur of stalking them and making harassing feedback on-line.

The White Home didn't reply to NPR's request for remark.

<img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1567x881+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffc%2F6f%2F4e2a7843456fa4b7307df5c27915%2Fwmata-wanted-bryan-betancur.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1567x881+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffc%2F6f%2F4e2a7843456fa4b7307df5c27915%2Fwmata-wanted-bryan-betancur.jpg" class="img" alt="Bryan Betancur participated in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol and received a pardon from President Trump. On March 2, 2026, Betancur was arrested by the Metro Transit Police Department in the Washington, D.C. region on charges of assault and battery." loading="lazy"/> Bryan Betancur participated within the Jan. 6, 2021 riot on the U.S. Capitol and obtained a pardon from President Trump. On March 2, 2026, Betancur was arrested by the Metro Transit Police Division within the Washington, D.C. area on prices of assault and battery. Metro Transit Police disguise caption

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Metro Transit Police Final yr, after one other pardoned Jan. 6 rioter was charged with threatening to kill Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Trump was requested if his pardons undermined his tough-on-crime insurance policies.

"No, you've 1000's of folks that we're coping with, and, you already know, if one goes haywire," Trump mentioned, earlier than pivoting to criticize Democrats.

As a part of the administration's push to rewrite the historical past of the assault, which injured roughly 140 cops, an official White Home web site describes the entire Jan. 6 defendants as "patriotic People prosecuted for his or her presence on the Capitol." Trump himself has referred to the rioters as "nice individuals."

'He mentioned to not inform anyone'

Each of Johnson's younger victims — a younger boy and a younger lady — testified at his trial, the place they described how Johnson used his position as a trusted "father determine" to topic them to bodily sexual abuse and specific messages.

Johnson first got here into the image in 2023, after the boy's mom met Johnson at a political rally. The mom, who was elevating two boys alone, let Johnson keep on the sofa in her residence.

She testified that she believed Johnson, who labored as a handyman, may assist sort things round the home.

By that time, Johnson had already been charged for his position within the Capitol assault, however his case was nonetheless working its method by means of the courts. On the political proper, riot defendants like Johnson have been extensively portrayed as victims, "hostages" and "political prisoners."

One evening, the boy was watching "a scary film" with Johnson, when he fell asleep.

"I awoke within the morning and he was touching me — I felt him touching me in my non-public space," the boy testified. He was 11 years outdated on the time.

"Did you say something to him?" Assistant State Lawyer Kasey Whitson requested.

"No ma'am," the boy replied. "I used to be too nervous, like, I used to be scared."

Later that yr, the boy once more woke as much as Johnson touching him. This time, Johnson swore him to silence.

"He mentioned to not inform anyone," the boy mentioned. His mom remained unaware of the abuse.

In April 2024, Johnson returned to federal courtroom in Washington, D.C., the place he pleaded responsible to a number of nonviolent prices for breaching the Capitol. Later that August, he was sentenced to 1 yr in jail adopted by a yr of supervised launch.

In Jan. 2025, just some months after Johnson started serving his sentence, Trump took workplace and pardoned nearly each Jan. 6 defendant, together with Johnson.

"Free! Ultimately!" Johnson posted on X. "Thanks @realDonaldTrump!"

'We have been scared'

Quickly after his launch, Johnson began posting on-line that he anticipated to obtain restitution cash from the Trump administration.

He additionally re-entered the lives of the boy and his mom. The sexual abuse resumed, as nicely. The boy testified that Johnson used the net gaming system Roblox and the messaging platform Discord to ship him messages, a few of which have been sexual.

Johnson invited each the boy, and the boy's finest pal — a 12-year-old lady — to play paintball and go to a trampoline park and resort swimming swimming pools.

Each kids testified that Johnson uncovered himself to them on a number of events, made specific sexual feedback and in addition sexually abused the lady.

"We have been scared," the lady testified. "Like, we did not understand that these things was not okay as a result of we have been 12 years outdated."

Round this time, the boy's mom started sensing one thing off in her son's habits.

"She had a intestine feeling that one thing was flawed," the boy testified. "My angle modified after I was round her and I would not hang around along with her anymore."

In July 2025, the boy's mom confronted each kids after discovering regarding messages from Johnson on the boy's Discord account.

"She requested us, like, did he do something?" the lady testified. "We have been type of reluctant at first as a result of we have been scared to confess it. However then she stored asking and I advised [the boy] 'now we have to inform her.'"

Quickly after, the mom known as the police.

On Aug. 26, 2025 — simply seven months after Johnson obtained a full presidential pardon — regulation enforcement situated him in Tennessee and he was again in police custody.

'Reparations' for Jan. 6 defendants?

The kid sexual abuse case in opposition to Andrew Paul Johnson has additional highlighted a controversial proposal to make use of taxpayer funds to compensate former riot defendants.

Ed Martin, the U.S. pardon legal professional, and Jonathan Gross, an official on the Justice Division's Civil Rights Division, are amongst those that have promoted the concept of monetary restitution for Jan. 6 rioters.

"I'm for when anyone will get wronged and destroyed by their authorities that they be taken care of, that they attempt to make them complete in as far as they will," Martin advised right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson final yr. "That is solely truthful."

"There needs to be compensation," Gross mentioned on a podcast in Dec. 2024. "Individuals's lives have been destroyed. And the best way they will do that's they will simply let all people file a lawsuit and settle the lawsuits."

The Division of Justice didn't reply to NPR's request for remark.

In June 2025, the Justice Division introduced that it could pay practically 5 million {dollars} to settle a wrongful demise lawsuit introduced by the household of Ashli Babbitt, a rioter who was shot and killed by police whereas making an attempt to breach an space simply off the ground of the U.S. Home of Representatives.

Below the Biden administration, the Division of Justice had cleared the officer who shot Babbitt of wrongdoing.

A bunch of Home Democrats have launched a invoice to forestall any payouts to former Jan. 6 defendants. The invoice, which isn't supported by Home Republican management, has no path to turn into regulation until reintroduced in a future Congress.

The proposal would "prohibit the usage of federal funds to compensate people who have been prosecuted for his or her involvement within the assault on america Capitol."

"The pardoned Jan. 6 insurrectionists and rioters consider that they're entitled to hundreds of thousands of {dollars} from the federal authorities," mentioned Raskin, a co-sponsor of the invoice, "as Donald Trump continues to flatter them, that they're one way or the other the victims quite than the perpetrators of crime."

Raskin argued that Johnson's case demonstrates the injury finished by Trump's pardons.

"It was solely as a result of Donald Trump let him out of jail that he was capable of go and to proceed his sickening sample of kid sexual abuse," Raskin mentioned. "What's the president's response to that? Does he take accountability for what's occurred?"