Trump‑Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Faces Florida Child Molestation Trial Feb. 9
Andrew Johnson, a Florida man pardoned by President Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, is set to stand trial Feb. 9 in Hernando County on state child‑molestation charges alleging months of abuse that began in 2024. Court records reviewed by CBS say Johnson, now 44, is accused of repeatedly molesting a minor and later trying to buy the victim’s silence by claiming he had been pardoned for 'storming the Capitol' and would receive $10 million as a 'Jan 6er,' promising to put the victim in his will. Johnson had previously pleaded guilty to four federal Jan. 6 charges, including entering a private Senate meeting room and climbing through a broken Capitol window, and was serving a one‑year sentence when Trump’s blanket pardon of more than 1,500 rioters wiped out his conviction and remaining prison time. Prosecutors in Florida call the new case, which has Johnson held in custody pre‑trial, a top priority and say any release would come with GPS monitoring and strict conditions. CBS notes Johnson is one of several pardoned Jan. 6 defendants now facing fresh charges, including a Virginia rioter convicted of breaking and entering, a New York man accused of threatening House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and a Utah kidnapping suspect whose DNA allegedly links him to a 2018 case.
📌 Key Facts
- Andrew Johnson, 44, was arrested in July 2025 in Hernando County, Florida, and is scheduled for trial on child‑molestation charges on Feb. 9.
- Police affidavits say Johnson allegedly told the victim he had been pardoned for Jan. 6 and would get $10 million for being a 'Jan 6er,' offering to put the victim in his will to keep them quiet.
- Johnson previously pleaded guilty to four federal Jan. 6 charges, was sentenced in August 2024 to a year in prison, and was released early when Trump pardoned more than 1,500 riot defendants about a year ago.
- State prosecutors say the case involves months of alleged abuse beginning in 2024 and describe crimes involving the exploitation and molestation of minors as warranting 'the full weight of the criminal justice system.'
- CBS places Johnson among a pattern of pardoned Jan. 6 defendants later charged with new crimes, including Zachary Alam (breaking and entering), Christopher Moynihan (alleged threats to kill Hakeem Jeffries), and John Banuelos (a 2018 kidnapping and assault case uncovered by DNA).
📊 Relevant Data
Among 716 individuals prosecuted for the January 6 Capitol riot as of July 2023, 92% were White, 5.4% were Hispanic, 1.4% were Black, and 0.7% were Asian, compared to U.S. population demographics of approximately 60% non-Hispanic White, 19% Hispanic, 13% Black, and 6% Asian.
A Demographic and Legal Profile of January 6 Prosecutions — Seton Hall University School of Law
As of January 2026, at least 33 of the over 1,500 pardoned January 6 defendants have been charged with new crimes since receiving pardons, representing about 2% of the pardoned group.
Some pardoned January 6 demonstrators have picked up new charges since pardons — WGN-TV
Among 716 individuals prosecuted for the January 6 riot, 22.2% had a prior criminal record, including arrests on felony charges or misdemeanor records.
A Demographic and Legal Profile of January 6 Prosecutions — Seton Hall University School of Law
The three-year reincarceration rate for released prisoners in the U.S. has decreased to about 35-39%, providing a benchmark for recidivism among offenders.
50 States, 1 Goal: Examining State-Level Recidivism Trends in the U.S. — The Council of State Governments Justice Center
In federal sexual abuse cases in FY2021, offenders were 57.5% White, 16.1% Black, 11.8% Hispanic, and 12.1% Native American, compared to U.S. population shares, showing overrepresentation among Black and Native American groups on a per capita basis.
Quick Facts on Sexual Abuse Offenses — United States Sentencing Commission
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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