Trump-Pardoned Rioter Arrested Again on Threatening Charge
A 34-year-old man pardoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 riot was arrested over the weekend after allegedly sending threatening text messages to an associate about House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Christopher P. Moynihan, 34, was charged with a class D felony of making a terroristic threat and pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges related to obstructing an official government proceeding on January 6, 2021. Moynihan's arrest is the latest in a string of Trump-pardoned convicted criminals who have been re-arrested on newer charges.
Key Takeaways:
- Christopher P. Moynihan, 34, was arrested over the weekend for allegedly sending threatening text messages to an associate about House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
- Moynihan was charged with a class D felony of making a terroristic threat and pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges related to obstructing an official government proceeding on January 6, 2021.
- Moynihan was pardoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump in August 2022 for his role in the January 6 riot.
- Moynihan has a history of drug use and petty crimes, and was sentenced to 21 months in jail in February 2022 before being pardoned by Trump.
- The investigation into Moynihan was initiated by the FBI as part of a growing trend of threats against U.S. lawmakers.
- According to court records, Moynihan was among the first to breach Capitol police barricades to enter the building on January 6, 2021.
Statistics:
- Over 140 Capitol police officers were injured during the January 6 riot.
- The riot caused damage to the historic complex to the tune of millions of dollars and delayed the 2020 electoral college count.
- Moynihan pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges and was pardoned by Trump in August 2022.
- Moynihan was sentenced to 21 months in jail in February 2022 before being pardoned by Trump.
- The FBI initiated the investigation into Moynihan as part of a growing trend of threats against U.S. lawmakers.
- There were over 14,000 threat investigations against U.S. lawmakers in 2024, up from previous years.
Sources:
- UPI. October 21. "Rioter who got Trump pardon arrested again on threatening charge".