Fact Check: Jan. 6 Rioter Andrew Paul Johnson Arrested on Child Molestation Charges Following Trump Pardon

In a disturbing development that has sent shockwaves through political circles, Andrew Paul Johnson, one of approximately 1,500 January 6 rioters pardoned by President Donald Trump, has been arrested on multiple charges related to child molestation.

Johnson, who was taken into custody in Williamson County, Tennessee on August 26, 2025, before being extradited to Florida, now faces serious allegations including lewd and lascivious behavior, molestation of a victim less than 12 years old, cruelty toward a child, and transmission of harmful information to a minor.

The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office in Florida filed an affidavit on July 18 detailing accusations that Johnson molested an 11-year-old boy three times in 2024. According to court documents, the child’s mother – Johnson’s former girlfriend – discovered disturbing messages between her son and Johnson on the child’s Discord account.

Perhaps most shocking are allegations contained in the affidavit that Johnson attempted to silence the victim by boasting about his January 6 pardon and promising financial rewards. The document states Johnson told the child “he was pardoned for storming the Capitol on January 6th, 2021, and he was being awarded $10,000,000 as a result of being a ‘jan 6’er'” and that he “would be putting him in his ‘will’ to take any money he had leftover.”

Law enforcement officials became concerned Johnson might flee when the affidavit noted “there is a possibility that Andrew is aware of the allegations, and he has mentioned leaving the state to [victim] before.” Those fears proved justified when Johnson did flee Florida, leading to his eventual arrest in Tennessee.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Department confirmed via email that Johnson “was taken into custody by the Marshals and brought to our Detention Center on a hold for Florida.” Inmate records show Johnson was subsequently booked in Hernando County on September 8, where he remains held without bail.

Johnson’s involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot resulted in his 2024 conviction on multiple charges including unlawful entry, entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly conduct, and parading or demonstrating in a Capitol building. He received a one-year prison sentence, a year of supervised release, a $2,336 fine, and was ordered to pay $500 in restitution.

Court documents from his Capitol riot case included detailed descriptions of his activities during the insurrection, along with social media evidence and photographs identifying him at the scene. Johnson was among the beneficiaries of Trump’s “unconditional pardon” for January 6 participants, which was announced on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, fulfilling one of Trump’s campaign promises.

The case has sparked intense reactions on social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook, with many users expressing outrage over the pardon in light of the new allegations. Some commenters directly questioned the wisdom of issuing such sweeping pardons without consideration for the individuals’ broader conduct.

The juxtaposition of Johnson’s pardon for political activities and his subsequent arrest on charges involving a child has reignited debate about the appropriate use of presidential pardon powers, particularly when applied broadly to large groups of individuals without case-by-case review.

As the legal process unfolds, Johnson faces the possibility of significant prison time if convicted of the child molestation charges. Meanwhile, his case stands as a stark reminder of the complex and sometimes troubling intersections between political actions, presidential powers, and criminal behavior that transcends political contexts.

Florida and Tennessee authorities continue to cooperate in the prosecution of the case, which has drawn national attention both for its connection to the January 6 pardons and the particularly disturbing nature of the alleged crimes against a child.