Pardoned Jan. 6 MAGA Rioter Wanted for Alleged Crimes, Including Solicitation of a Minor

Andrew Taake, a convicted Capitol rioter, remains at large for a 2016 solicitation charge involving a minor, according to recent media reports. Taake, who was convicted of assaulting officers during the January 6 Capitol attack, was released from federal custody last week following a blanket pardon from former President Donald Trump.

The HuffPost reports that Taake had been serving a six-year prison sentence for his role in the Capitol riot, during which he pepper-sprayed officers and struck them with a metal “whip-like device.” At the time of the January 6 attack, Taake was out on bond for allegations that he had solicited a minor under the age of 17 online, intending for the victim “to engage in sexual contact” with him.

The solicitation charge dates back to 2016, and Taake’s arrest occurred just a day after the alleged incident. He was initially released on a $20,000 bond, which was revoked in September 2021. Despite these circumstances, Taake was freed on January 20 from a federal prison in Florence, Colorado, in compliance with Trump’s pardon order.

A spokesperson for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Taake “is still at large” for the 2016 charge. District Attorney Sean Teare told the HuffPost that efforts were made to prevent Taake’s release, including a request filed by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrants Division in 2022.

“Before Andrew Taake’s release from custody in Florence, Colorado, on January 20, a member of our Harris County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrants Division requested that federal authorities hold him, due to his pending warrant in Harris County,” Teare explained. He added, “The Bureau of Prisons informed our office they must have a certified warrant to prevent Taake’s release.

Although a clerk faxed a copy of that warrant on January 15, Taake was released five days later, in accordance with President Trump’s pardon order.” Teare also noted the challenges of re-arresting individuals like Taake, who were released with outstanding state warrants.

“Re-arresting individuals, like Taake, who were released with pending State warrants, will require significant resources. Know that we are already in the process of tracking Taake down, as he must answer for [the] 2016 charge of soliciting a minor online,” he stated.

Authorities in Houston are now intensifying efforts to locate Taake, who remains a fugitive. The case has raised broader questions about the impact of presidential pardons on state-level criminal charges and the challenges they create for local law enforcement.