Trump-Pardoned Capitol Rioter Found Guilty of Child Sexual Abuse Charges
A man who participated in the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol and was later pardoned by former President Donald Trump has been convicted this week on multiple counts of child sexual abuse in Florida, according to official statements. Andrew Paul Johnson was found guilty of five serious charges, including molesting a child under the age of 12 and another under 16, as well as lewd and lascivious exhibition. The verdict was delivered by a jury in Florida, which acquitted him on one count of transmitting material harmful to a minor via electronic device.
Details of the Case and Sentencing Prospects
Johnson, who was arrested in Tennessee in August and extradited to Florida, had pleaded not guilty to the allegations. Walter Forgie, the chief assistant state attorney for Florida's fifth judicial circuit, indicated that Johnson now faces the possibility of life imprisonment, with sentencing scheduled for a later date. The case came to light after the Hernando County Sheriff's Office received a report in July detailing that two juveniles had been subjected to lewd acts over a period of several months.
A probable cause affidavit revealed that the mother of one victim discovered inappropriate Discord messages sent by Johnson, her former boyfriend who had lived with the family. Upon questioning, her son alleged that Johnson had molested him three times between April 1, 2024, and October 2024, starting when the child was just 11 years old. The police document further claimed that Johnson boasted about being pardoned for his involvement in the Capitol riot and promised the boy a place in his will, allegedly as a tactic to prevent the child from exposing the abuse.
Background on Johnson's Capitol Riot Involvement and Pardon
Andrew Paul Johnson was among approximately 1,500 defendants charged in connection with the January 6 attack, whom Trump granted clemency early in his presidential term. According to reports, Johnson referred to himself as an "American Terrorist" and a "Proud j6er." Officials alleged that he engaged in disorderly conduct for hours after unlawfully entering the Capitol through a window and encouraged other rioters to follow him. He pleaded guilty to January 6-related charges in April 2024 but later attempted unsuccessfully to withdraw that plea.
While Trump has publicly discussed compensating defendants prosecuted for the deadly attack, no such payments have been made to date. However, his administration did agree to pay nearly $5 million to the family of a woman shot dead by police during the siege, as reported by the Washington Post. The conviction of Johnson highlights the ongoing legal repercussions for individuals involved in the Capitol riot, even as some received presidential pardons.
