Pardoned Jan. 6 Defendant Faces Conviction for Assault

Bryan Betancur from Silver Spring, Maryland, was found guilty of simple assault in the Washington, D.C., Superior Court. The charge arose from an incident in February where he touched a woman’s hair on a Metro Red Line train and shared the act on social media.

The judge remarked that it was “just a creepy thing to do.” The victim, seen in the video, expressed how the ordeal has affected her daily life. She stated, “I think about this video every single day. I think about this video every time I get on the Metro, which is twice every single day.” She shared feelings of paranoia and exposure, highlighting her distress over the incident being posted online without her consent.

The misdemeanor charge carries a maximum sentence of 180 days. Betancur has served 125 days after being held since April due to an alleged bail violation. Prosecutors plan to seek additional jail time, proposing no credit for time already served. Alongside the potential jail time, Betancur might face a $1,000 fine, with sentencing scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Betancur faces further legal issues, including a stalking charge in Washington, D.C., and an assault and battery charge in Arlington, Virginia. The latter charge follows a similar incident involving another woman on a train.

The FBI has identified Betancur as a self-proclaimed white supremacist. He was previously photographed with a Confederate flag during the Jan. 6 insurrection. This action was part of a federal case against him, which noted his participation in the Capitol insurrection while on parole for burglary charges. He was initially jailed but received a pardon from President Donald Trump.