Police and prosecutors are begging a Trump-appointed federal judge to jail a pardoned Jan. 6 defendant, after he allegedly showed up near Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin’s home.
Taylor Taranto, who made headlines in 2023 when he was arrested near former President Barack Obama’s home with a van loaded with guns, ammunition, and materials to make explosives, has returned to Washington, D.C. He was seen lurking near the Maryland congressman’s house on Tuesday, according to Politico.
The sighting alarmed police and prosecutors, who urged Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols to immediately put him behind bars. The judge said he would consider the matter in the coming weeks and ordered Taranto to return to his home in Washington state for the holidays.
It comes amid a surge in political violence and threats against federal officials, during an especially volatile period that saw last year’s assassination attempt on Trump, the June killing of Democrat Melissa Hortman, and the September murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Raskin’s security detail was immediately boosted, Axios reported, after police said Taranto appeared near the Democrat’s Takoma Park home early Tuesday.
A House Democrat familiar with the situation told Axios that Raskin briefed colleagues about the alleged encounter on Wednesday. His security was increased shortly afterward, and Capitol Police escorted him home.
Taranto’s lawyer, Carmen Hernández, told Axios that she specifically disputes the claim that he was outside Raskin’s home, while Taranto himself declined to comment on the matter.
The Daily Beast has reached out to Rep. Raskin for comment.
Nichols convicted Taranto earlier this year for the 2023 incident near Obama’s home, but declined to impose more jail time after Taranto spent roughly two years in pretrial detention. Instead, Taranto was placed on supervised release.
On Thursday, Nichols ordered Taranto to drive back to Washington state by noon Friday and barred him from returning to Washington, D.C., until early next year. A probation hearing was set for Dec. 10, and the judge warned he was “absolutely prepared” to jail Taranto if he defied any of his orders.
