Houston man pardoned for Jan. 6 riots wanted in Deer Park for online solicitation of a minor

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston man pardoned by President Donald Trump for his role in the January riots is now wanted for local criminal charges.

Andrew Taake was charged in 2016 with an online solicitation of a minor after being allegedly nabbed during a sting by the Houston-area Internet Crimes against Children Task Force. The case originated out of Deer Park, and the Deer Park Police Department confirms it is now looking into the case again.

According to the Harris County District Attorney's Office, Taake was charged with an online solicitation of a minor in 2016. That case was still pending when Taake was charged federally related to the Jan. 6 riots. In 2022, the Harris County Sheriff's Department requested a hold if Taake was released from federal custody.

On Jan. 15, the district attorney's office says it faxed over a copy of the active state warrant to Bureau of Prisons officials, requesting that Taake be held pending state charges. Five days later, he was still released.

ABC13 went looking for Taake at his last known Houston address. A man living at the listed apartment says they still get Taake's mail, but no one has seen him around for years.

In a statement, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare says:

"Re-arresting individuals, like Taake, who were released with pending state warrants, will require significant resources. Know that we are already in the process of tracking Taake down, as he must answer for the 2016 charge of soliciting a minor online."

ABC13 has reached out to the Bureau of Prisons and is waiting a response. We have asked for paperwork, including the warrant and anything documenting the timeline of communications. Eyewitness News will let you know when that information is released.

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