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Trump-Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Convicted of Child Sex Abuse in Florida

The state prosecution carries a possible life term, with sentencing set for March.

Overview

  • A Hernando County jury returned its verdict on Feb. 10, finding Andrew Paul Johnson, 45, guilty on five counts.
  • The counts include molesting a child under 12 and another under 16, lewd and lascivious exhibition, and transmitting harmful material to a minor.
  • Investigators documented a months-long pattern of abuse, including explicit Discord communications, and said one victim was 11 at the time.
  • Prosecutors say Johnson sought to keep a victim quiet by touting a nonexistent $10 million restitution from the Trump administration and a promise to name the child in his will.
  • Johnson pleaded guilty in 2024 to nonviolent Jan. 6 offenses before receiving a 2025 pardon, and other pardoned rioters have since been charged in separate cases, according to reports.