At least six pardoned Jan. 6 defendants faced child sex crime allegations.

CREW's December 2025 analysis identified six pardoned January 6 defendants charged with child sex crimes, including offenses such as sexual assault and possession of child pornography. This figure is corroborated by multiple sources, including NPR and The Daily Beast, which have reported on specific cases of pardoned individuals facing such charges.

For instance, Andrew Paul Johnson, a Florida resident pardoned for his role in the Capitol riot, was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison for molesting two children. Similarly, Andrew Taake, another pardoned individual, pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor online but avoided prison time due to the credit from his prior federal detention.

These cases highlight the accuracy of CREW's report regarding the number of pardoned individuals facing child sex crime allegations. The consistency across multiple reputable sources supports the claim's validity.

Multiple pardoned insurrectionists later faced child sex crime allegations or convictions, including:

• Andrew Taake — released after Trump's pardon, later arrested and convicted in a child solicitation case.
• Andrew Paul Johnson — pardoned, then convicted of molesting children and sentenced to life in prison.
• David Paul Daniel — Jan. 6 defendant accused of sexually abusing children and producing child sexual abuse material.
• Kyle Travis Colton — Jan. 6 defendant later indicted on child pornography charges.

Beyond the January 6 pardons, several Republican figures have faced accusations or convictions related to child sex crimes. Notably, former South Carolina state representative RJ May was arrested and charged with distributing child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors alleged that May used the screen name "joebidennnn69" to share 220 illicit files involving young children over several days in spring 2024. He agreed to plead guilty to five felony counts, each carrying a potential penalty of 5 to 20 years in prison. (apnews.com)

In another case, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office faced criticism for offering a plea deal to a Waco man charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a young boy. The deal would have allowed the man to plead guilty to two misdemeanors and serve just one day in jail. This lenient agreement drew significant backlash and became a contentious issue in Paxton's campaign for the U.S. Senate. (kut.org)

These instances underscore a pattern of Republican figures and affiliates being implicated in child sex crimes or associated controversies, further supporting the claim's validity.