Florida Man Pardoned for Jan. 6 Receives Life Sentence for Child Sexual Abuse

A Florida man previously pardoned for his role in the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach has been sentenced to life in prison for child sexual abuse. The case has drawn attention to other pardoned defendants facing new charges and has prompted political statements and legislative proposals.

Sentencing and Charges

On Thursday, Andrew Paul Johnson, 45, was sentenced to life in prison by a Florida court. A Hernando County jury had previously found him guilty of five criminal charges:

Molestation of a child under 12
Molestation of a child under 16
Lewd and lascivious exhibition

He was acquitted of one charge related to transmitting material harmful to a minor. The charges stemmed from the abuse of two middle-school-aged children, a boy and a girl.

Background and Case Details

January 6 Case: In April 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to nonviolent federal charges for entering the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. He was sentenced to one year in prison.
Presidential Pardon: In January 2025, then-President Donald Trump issued pardons for nearly all January 6 defendants. Johnson was among those pardoned and was released from prison.
Abuse Allegations: According to police reports and trial testimony, Johnson sexually abused the children. Testimony indicated the abuse of one child occurred in 2023 and 2024, and resumed after Johnson's release from prison in 2025.

Police reported that Johnson told the children not to disclose the abuse. He stated he would share millions of dollars in restitution money he expected to receive from the Trump administration related to his January 6 case. One police affidavit specified he mentioned a $10 million award.

Arrest: The abuse was reported to police in July 2025. Johnson was arrested on the new charges in Tennessee on August 26, 2025.

Other Pardoned Defendants Facing New Charges

Johnson is one of several individuals pardoned for January 6 offenses who have since been arrested on new criminal charges. Recent arrests include:

Jake Lang: Arrested on charges including threatening a police officer and felony property damage.
Bryan Betancur: Arrested on assault and battery charges.

Other cases noted in reports involve charges for breaking and entering, threats, kidnapping, and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Political Statements and Reactions

Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) stated that Trump's pardons have "made Americans less safe" and argued that Johnson's case demonstrates damage done by the pardons.
When asked previously if the pardons undermined tough-on-crime policies, Trump responded, "No, you have thousands of people that we're dealing with, and, you know, if one goes haywire," before criticizing Democrats.
The White House and the Department of Justice did not respond to requests for comment on this story, according to some reports.

Related Policy Discussions

The case has intersected with discussions about potential financial restitution for some January 6 defendants.

Some officials, including U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin and Justice Department official Jonathan Gross, have publicly supported the concept of compensation.
In June 2025, the Justice Department agreed to pay nearly $5 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed by police during the Capitol breach.
A group of House Democrats has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of federal funds to compensate individuals prosecuted for involvement in the January 6 attack. The bill currently lacks support from House Republican leadership.