YIKES

Jan. 6 Rioter Freed by Trump ‘at Large’ for Soliciting A Minor

Andrew Taake, who previously pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement during the Capitol riot, still faces charges dating back to 2016.

A convicted Capitol rioter who was released from federal prison thanks to a pardon from President Donald Trump is “at large” for allegedly soliciting a minor in his home state of Texas, the Houston Chronicle reported. Andrew Taake, 36, is now considered wanted in the state on charges that date back to 2016. Taake was previously serving a six-year sentence plus an additional three years of supervised release for assaulting a police officer with a metal whip and bear spray. He was arrested after he was caught bragging about his actions during the Capitol riot to a match on the dating app Bumble. Taake was previously charged with solicitation of a minor, a third-degree felony, by prosecutors in Harris County after the alleged incident occurred in 2016. He was out on a $20,000 bond when he attended the Capitol riot in 2021, which has since been revoked, according to court records. Before Taake became one of over 1,500 Jan. 6 rioters pardoned by President Trump, the Harris County District Attorney’s office requested he remain in custody due to an outstanding warrant in Texas, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare told the Daily Beast in a statement. “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’s office said. “We are already in the process of tracking Taake down, as he must answer for [the] 2016 charge of soliciting a minor online,” the district attorney added.