Jan 6. rioter found guilty of assault for ‘stroking’ woman’s hair on train

Bryan Betancur, a rioter pardoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump, was found guilty of assault in Washington, D.C., Superior Court on Wednesday. Betancur, 27, was convicted of one count of simple assault for allegedly touching and recording a woman's hair on a Metro train in the NOMA-Gallaudet station area. According to the United States Attorney's Office, Betancur recorded himself touching the victim's hair on the train, then posted the video to his X account.

The victim testified that the incident has impacted her daily life, causing her anxiety and altering her perception of public transportation. Betancur was arrested on March 12 and released with conditions, including a stay-away order from the Metro. He was later re-arrested for unrelated charges and is currently awaiting trial. U.S. Attorney Irvin Pirro stated that the verdict emphasizes the importance of protecting the safety and dignity of all passengers.

The maximum sentence for the misdemeanor charge is 180 days, of which Betancur has already served 125 days in jail due to a bail violation. Betancur, one of the 1,600 individuals pardoned by Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots, faces an additional stalking charge for allegedly livestreaming himself stalking a female victim at the U.S. Supreme Court building and making antisemitic remarks.