Trump-Pardoned Capitol Rioter Found Guilty of Heinous Child Sex Abuse Charges
A Florida man who received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump for his involvement in the January 6 US Capitol riot has been convicted on multiple charges of sexually abusing children, according to prosecutors. Andrew Paul Johnson was found guilty by a Hernando County jury on Tuesday, marking a dramatic fall from grace for the former Jan. 6 defendant.
Details of the Disturbing Conviction
The jury convicted Johnson on five serious charges, including molesting a child under 12 years old and another child under 16, along with charges of lewd and lascivious exhibition. This verdict followed an investigation that revealed Johnson's sexual abuse of children over what authorities described as a "many-month span." The case first came to light when the mother of one victim discovered inappropriate messages Johnson had sent to her young son on the gaming platform Discord.
According to police reports obtained by NPR, the mother's son revealed that Johnson had molested him three times between April 1, 2024, and October 2024, beginning when the child was just 11 years old. Johnson was described in the report as the mother's "ex-boyfriend," adding a layer of betrayal to the already horrific crimes.
Manipulative Tactics to Silence Victims
Perhaps most disturbingly, the police report detailed how Johnson attempted to coerce a victim into silence by making extraordinary claims about his financial situation. He allegedly told the victim that the Trump administration was paying him $10 million in restitution for being a former Jan. 6 defendant and promised to include the victim in his will to receive any remaining money.
"This tactic was believed to be used to keep [redacted name] from exposing what Andrew had done to him," the police report stated. While some convicted Jan. 6 defendants have advocated for reparation payments, no such payments have been granted to date, making Johnson's claims particularly manipulative.
Background as a January 6 Rioter
Johnson's criminal history extends beyond these child sex abuse charges. He previously pleaded guilty to nonviolent charges related to the January 6, 2021, US Capitol riot and was sentenced to a year in prison in 2024. According to sentencing documents, prosecutors recommended this sentence because Johnson climbed over broken glass to enter the Capitol building through a smashed office window and encouraged other rioters to join him inside.
The memorandum further noted that Johnson engaged in "disorderly and disruptive conduct" on Capitol grounds for several hours before his arrest. Even after his initial legal troubles, Johnson continued to spread false information about the Jan. 6 riot on social media and called for a second riot a year after his arrest, according to prosecutors.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
Johnson was one of approximately 1,500 defendants charged for their participation in the Jan. 6 riot who received pardons from Donald Trump early in his second presidential term. Despite this presidential pardon for his Capitol riot involvement, Johnson now faces severe consequences for his child sex abuse convictions.
William Forgie, the chief assistant state attorney for the fifth judicial circuit in Florida, told NPR that Johnson will be sentenced in March and "faces up to life in prison" for his crimes. The jury did acquit Johnson of one count of sending sexual material to a child, but the five guilty verdicts carry potentially devastating penalties.
The sentencing memorandum highlighted Johnson's pattern of criminal behavior, noting that he "violated his conditions of release on at least ten separate occasions" and has "a long criminal history." This case represents a stark example of how presidential pardons for one set of crimes do not protect individuals from facing justice for unrelated, serious offenses.
