A man pardoned by President Donald Trump for his January 6 riot charges is on the run from child-sex charges after Federal authorities failed to hand him over to state police as requested, according to a district attorney.
Andrew Taake, 36, was awaiting trial for alleged online solicitation of a minor in Houston, when he pleaded guilty to his January 6 charge of assaulting law enforcement.
While Taake was cleared of his federal conviction, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s (DA) Office, he should have been held in federal prison after his pardon long enough for Texas police to arrest him over the state child-sex charges.
The White House, The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Harris County DA’s office have been contacted via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Trump’s decision to pardon all of the Capitol rioters, including people like Taake who committed violence against the police, was an unpopular move that has been criticized by a wide ranging coalition including many families of the rioters, high ranking Republicans including Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham, and a police union who endorsed the President’s candidacy.
What To Know
Texas’ Penal Code, section 33.021 states that “online solicitation of a minor” refers to someone having sexual contact with or sharing sexually explicit information with someone who is, or who they believe to be, under the age of 17.
Taake was allegedly caught in a 2016 sting operation by the internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in the Houston-area for this crime. His pardon for January 6 only covered his Federal charges, so he is still expected to go to trial for his online solicitation charges.
On Monday, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare told Houston Public Media that Taake is still wanted under a pending state warrant for the alleged online solicitation of a minor in 2016.
He said his office had asked federal authorities to hold Taake in Colorado, due to his pending warrant in Texas, but that Taake was still released despite the DA’s office faxing a copy of the warrant to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on Jan. 15, five days before he was pardoned, according to Houston Public Media.
Teare added that it would take significant resources to rearrest Taake.
Taake no longer resides at his former address, and while the new tenants say they still get his mail there, they told ABC13 that they have not seen Taake “in years.”
Before his Presidential pardon, Taake was due to serve six years in prison for “resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon,” including spraying the police with bear spray and “brandishing a whiplike weapon,” on January 6.
According to court documents, he was caught after bragging to a woman on the dating app, Bumble, that he was “near all the action,” even sending her a photo of himself at the riot.
What People Are Saying
Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesperson said in a statement to Houston Public Media: “For privacy, safety, and security reasons, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) does not discuss specific security practices or conditions of confinement for any individual, or provide additional information on individuals who are no longer in our custody.”
Sean Teare, Harris County District Attorney, media statement: “Rearresting 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.”
What Happens Next
Taake will be searched for by the Houston DA, and by Deer Park Police, who were involved in his initial arrest in 2016.
If he is found guilty of online solicitation of a minor in Texas, Taake will face between 2 to 10 years in prison, and a potential fine of up to $10,000. He will also be registered as a sex offender once leaving prison.
If the child was under 14 years old at the time of the crime, then Taake will face between 2 to 20 years in prison if found guilty, as well as the same $10,000 fine and registration as a sex offender.
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