A Texas man who received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump for his violent actions during the January 6 Capitol riot has managed to escape prison time for child sex offences in a controversial legal decision that has raised ethical concerns.
From Riot Pardon to Sex Crime Sentence
Thirty-seven-year-old Andrew Taake pleaded guilty to soliciting what he believed was a 15-year-old girl for sexual purposes, unaware that he was actually communicating with an undercover police officer on a dating website. Despite the serious nature of the charges, Taake avoided prison because a judge credited him with time already served from his earlier federal case related to the Capitol riot.
The court granted Taake 1,306 days of credit, primarily stemming from the period he spent in custody before being sentenced for his role in the January 6 insurrection. This credit was then applied to his unrelated state child solicitation case, resulting in his release with only the requirement to register as a sex offender for ten years.
The Capitol Violence and Controversial Pardon
Taake's involvement in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot was particularly brutal. Court records show he attacked police officers with bear spray and wielded a metal whip during the violent insurrection. His behaviour was so extreme that it shocked the judge overseeing his federal case.
Despite being convicted for these actions, Trump issued a blanket pardon to Taake and more than 1,500 other January 6 offenders on Inauguration Day, effectively wiping out his sentence for the political violence.
Prosecutors noted that Taake showed no remorse for his actions during the riot and continued to portray himself as a patriotic hero. His involvement in the insurrection only came to light when he bragged about it to a woman he met on the Bumble dating app, who later reported him to investigators out of what she described as a sense of "civic duty."
Legal Experts Raise Ethical Concerns
Legal professionals have expressed serious concerns about the unusual application of time credits in Taake's case. Lawyers speaking to media outlets described the situation as "exceptionally rare" and "ethically problematic."
Washington-based attorney Evan Oshan highlighted the disturbing nature of the decision, noting that it effectively shifted credit "from a political or protest crime to child exploitation." This creates a troubling precedent where time served for one type of offence can eliminate punishment for completely unrelated, serious crimes.
Taake had already been facing the child solicitation charges before his participation in the Capitol riot. He was out on bond for sending explicit messages and photos to the undercover officer on Plenty of Fish dating app, continuing this behaviour even after being informed that the person he was communicating with was underage.
The Texas man has a history of other criminal offences, including cocaine possession and hitting a person with his vehicle while driving under the influence. Following his release on Trump's pardon, Taake struck a plea deal on the sex case in September.
In a bizarre twist, Taake later sued the Trump administration, alleging he had been denied proper medical care in prison and claimed he had been injected with estrogen and developed breasts during his incarceration.
Taake represents one of at least nine January 6 offenders who have faced fresh legal troubles after receiving presidential pardons. Others have been charged with various serious crimes including violent offences, kidnapping, sexual assault, and even plotting political assassinations.
