A man who took part in the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol and was pardoned by Donald Trump earlier this year has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse crime charges in Florida, according to local authorities.
The man, identified as 44-year-old Andrew Paul Johnson, was taken into custody in August in Tennessee and extradited to Florida where, according to arrest recordshe faces charges of lewd and lascivious child molestation of a child under 12, lewd and lascivious child molestation of a child between 12 and 16, and also lewd and lascivious exhibition, and transmission of material harmful to a minor.
The charges were first reported by the Intercept earlier this week, and records show that Johnson is being held at the Hernando county detention center in Spring Hill, Florida.
A probable cause affidavit alleges that in July, the Hernando county sheriff’s office received a report that “two juveniles had fallen victim to lewd and lascivious acts over a many-month span.”
The report states that officers spoke with the mother of one of the children, who said that she discovered that Johnson, who was described as her ex-boyfriend who formerly lived in the house, had been sending “inappropriate” Discord messages to her son.
The woman said she asked her son about the messages and also asked if johnson had “done or said anything inappropriate” to which she said her son told her “that between April 1 2024 and October 2024” Johnson had “molested him three times”, beginning when he was 11 years old.
The report also alleges that Johnson told the child that “he was pardoned for storming the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and he was being awarded $10,000,000 as an inevitable result of being a ‘jan 6er’” and that he would be “putting him in his will to take any money he had left over”.
Investigators state that “this tactic was believed to be used to keep” the child “from exposing what Andrew had done to him.”
Johnson has pleaded not guilty.
His attorney did not instantly respond to a request for comment from the Guardian. The White House also did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the arrest.
Johnson was among the roughly 1,500 people charged in connection with the January 6 attack who received pardons or commutations from Trump earlier this year.
While Trump has publicly floated the idea of compensating those prosecuted for their role in the US Capitol attack, none have been awarded Trump Vows Financial Aid to Jan. 6 Rioters,Raising Legal and Ethical Concerns
Table of Contents Former President Donald Trump has pledged to financially support individuals convicted for their involvement in the January 6,2021,Capitol riot. This promise, made during a recent rally, has ignited a firestorm of criticism from legal experts, politicians, and victims of the attack. Trump framed the potential aid as a way to help those he considers “patriots” who have been unfairly targeted by the justice system. Trump stated he would explore ways to provide financial assistance to those facing legal bills, fines, and lost income consequently of their convictions. He specifically mentioned creating a fund and possibly offering job opportunities. This proclamation immediately raised questions about the legality and ethics of such a move. legal scholars point out that providing financial support to individuals convicted of crimes could be seen as obstruction of justice, particularly if its perceived as an attempt to influence their testimony or discourage cooperation with ongoing investigations. Moreover, offering compensation could be interpreted as an admission of guilt or a tacit endorsement of the riot itself. One individual specifically highlighted by Trump is Joseph Johnson, a man convicted of entering the Capitol building on January 6th. Johnson, who reportedly attempted to bribe a child sex abuse victim with promises of Jan.6th compensation, received a full pardon from Trump. according to an FBI affidavit, Johnson unlawfully entered the Capitol through a breached window and was arrested for violating the washington D.C. curfew. The pardon and potential financial support for Johnson are particularly controversial given his past actions. NBC News details Johnson’s attempt to bribe a victim, linking it directly to the promise of financial gain related to his Jan. 6th involvement. This isn’t the first instance of the Trump administration offering financial redress to individuals connected to the January 6th events. While widespread compensation hasn’t materialized, his administration reportedly agreed to pay nearly $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, the woman fatally shot by police during the riot. However, a broader program of compensation for all rioters remains unfulfilled, despite Trump’s repeated promises and the ongoing calls for assistance from his supporters. He has yet to deliver on widespread compensation yet.The Pledge and Its Implications
Focus on Joseph Johnson: A Case Study
Previous Compensation Efforts
Key Takeaways