Prosecutors Seek Jail for Pardoned Jan. 6 Defendant After New Trip to D.C. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
A Jan. 6 defendant previously pardoned by President Donald Trump is once again under scrutiny after turning up in Washington, D.C., sparking fresh alarm among Justice Department officials. According to a new report from Politico, prosecutors are urging a federal judge to send Taylor Taranto back to jail, arguing that his latest behavior violates the terms of his supervised release and mirrors conduct that previously led to criminal charges.
Taranto first drew national attention after he was arrested while livestreaming near former President Barack Obama’s home with a cache of guns and weapons. Although Trump pardoned him for his Jan. 6 offenses, the pardon did not cover the weapons incident. That case proceeded to a bench trial earlier this year, where U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, sentenced Taranto to 21 months effectively time served and placed him under three years of supervised release.
Now prosecutors say his recent reappearance in the nation’s capital is a direct violation of that supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf laid out the concerns before Judge Nichols during a hearing this week. Wolf warned that Taranto’s presence in D.C., combined with his unpredictable livestreaming and public behavior, suggests he is “on the path” toward the same dangerous actions that triggered his previous arrest.
Wolf described worsening mental health concerns, along with several alleged violations of Taranto’s supervision conditions. According to Politico, prosecutors also cited troubling social media activity, including a post Taranto made from a Pentagon parking lot. Additional sensitive details were discussed behind closed doors due to security concerns.
Although prosecutors pushed for Taranto to be taken into custody immediately, Judge Nichols did not make an instant ruling. Instead, he said he would consider the request over the coming weeks. For now, he ordered Taranto to return to his home in Washington state and remain there through the holidays.
The case continues to draw national attention, partly because of earlier controversy surrounding the Justice Department’s handling of Taranto’s sentencing. Under Trump’s administration, officials abruptly withdrew and rewrote a sentencing memo, removing references to Taranto’s involvement in the Jan. 6 riot. The revised document also excluded the detail that Trump had posted Obama’s home address on Truth Social shortly before Taranto traveled to the property where he was later arrested.
With Taranto now back in the headlines, federal authorities are preparing for the possibility of further action if Judge Nichols determines that his most recent behavior justifies revoking his supervised release. The coming weeks will determine whether Taranto is sent back to jail or allowed to remain under supervision while the Justice Department continues monitoring his activities.
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