'Long history of terrorizing': Capitol rioter pardoned by Trump arrested for assaulting woman on the train, police say

A antheral convicted and past pardoned for entering the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection has been arrested for allegedly touching a woman's hairsbreadth connected a Washington, D.C.-area train.

Bryan Betancur, 28, has been charged with assault and artillery for the Sunday "offense" portion helium was aboard the Washington Metro Silver Line adjacent Clarendon Station successful Arlington, Virginia, the Metro Transit Police Department announced. He was arrested connected Monday night.

The instrumentality enforcement bureau wrote connected societal media connected Monday that it was "aware of videos circulating connected societal media depicting inappropriate behaviour toward Metro customers" and that Betancur was wanted connected the battle and artillery charge. The incidental occurred connected Sunday astatine astir 10 p.m., and the suspect is alleged to person recorded and broadcasted his ain acts.

In a video from a livestream posted to an X relationship belonging to Betancur, a person's manus could beryllium seen touching astatine slightest 1 passenger's hairsbreadth connected the bid connected Sunday, section NBC affiliate WRC reported. Amanda Moore, a writer and activist, said Betancur has exhibited this benignant of behaviour for years, including stalking and threatening her.

"He has a agelong past of terrorizing women and teenage girls, and we've each been waiting truthful agelong — immoderate radical since they were successful precocious schoolhouse — for this moment," she told the outlet of his caller arrest. "Women, for astatine slightest the past 14 years of this guy's life, person been victimized by him, and it's conscionable getting worse and worse."

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Betancur pleaded blameworthy successful May 2022 to entering and remaining successful a restricted gathering oregon grounds during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection connected the U.S. Capitol. He was subsequently sentenced to 4 months successful prison.

The suspect "posted photos and a video of himself astatine the Capitol connected January 6, 2021, wearing a mask, looking astatine the camera and flashing the 'ok' manus awesome commonly utilized among achromatic supremacy groups," according to his statement of offense, wherever helium acknowledged the facts against him.

The federal affidavit filed against him connected Jan. 15, 2021, said helium "is a self-professed achromatic supremacist who has made statements to instrumentality enforcement officers that helium is simply a subordinate of respective achromatic supremacy organizations." Furthermore, helium "has voiced homicidal ideations, made comments astir conducting a schoolhouse shooting, and has researched wide shootings."

As Law&Crime previously reported, Betancur had been connected probation successful Maryland astatine the clip of the insurrection, but his probation serviceman granted his petition to question to the nation's superior "in bid to administer Bibles." In reality, per the connection of offense, Betancur "planned successful advance" to spell to the rally successful enactment of President Donald Trump connected Jan. 6, 2021.

On the archetypal time of his 2nd term, connected Jan. 20, 2025, Trump pardoned Betancur and much than 1,500 different radical either convicted oregon awaiting proceedings for charges relating to the insurrection.

The battle and artillery complaint against Betancur was filed successful Arlington County, Virginia, according to WRC. Metro Transit Police person asked anyone with accusation astir him to interaction them.