Man Pardoned in 2025 Arrested in Hernando County Sexual Offenses
A 44 year old man previously charged in the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol attack and pardoned by the president in 2025 was arrested on November 19 and held at the Hernando County Detention Center on multiple state sex crime charges. The arrest, following extradition from Tennessee, matters locally because the case is being prosecuted at the state level and has prompted renewed attention on public safety, victim support, and limits of federal pardons.
Hernando County law enforcement arrested Andrew Paul Johnson on November 19 on a string of state charges alleging sexual offenses involving minors. Johnson, reported as 44 years old, was extradited from Tennessee and is being held at the Hernando County Detention Center. Local arrest records and regional reporting list charges that include lewd or lascivious molestation of a child under 12, an additional count involving a child between 12 and 16, lewd or lascivious exhibition, and transmission of material harmful to minors. He has pleaded not guilty.
According to probable cause affidavits cited by reporters, investigators said the probe began after a mother discovered inappropriate messages on the chat platform Discord. One alleged victim reported multiple incidents in 2024 beginning when the child was 11. Prosecutors allege Johnson told a child he would be awarded money as a result of his 2025 presidential pardon, and that he suggested putting the child in his will to discourage reporting. Those allegations are included in the affidavits referenced by news outlets.
The case drew national attention because Johnson had been previously prosecuted in connection with the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and received a presidential pardon in 2025. Local authorities in Hernando County are pursuing state prosecution for the sexual offenses, illustrating that federal pardons do not prevent state criminal proceedings. Investigators and prosecutors have said the investigation is ongoing.
For Hernando County residents the case raises immediate questions about community safety, the needs of alleged victims, and the resources required for prosecution and victim services. The county criminal justice system will carry the case forward through hearings and potential trial, while law enforcement continues to develop the inquiry. As this remains an active criminal matter, additional charges or developments may follow as investigators and prosecutors complete their work.
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