Federal prosecutors are contemplating new charges against Taylor Franklin Taranto, an accused January 6 Capitol rioter arrested near former President Barack Obama’s residence, who livestreamed threats against prominent Washington D.C. figures and locations.
Case backdrop: Taranto, a US Navy veteran, faces four misdemeanor charges, including knowingly entering the US Capitol and engaging in disorderly conduct during the riot.
* Prosecutors believe Taranto to be a flight risk due to living in a van, fitted with a machete, two firearms and hundreds of ammunition rounds.
* He is now under consideration for additional charges following livestreamed threats against a Democratic Congressman, a federal research facility, and the House speaker.
Defendant’s behavior: Taranto has been a regular attendant at a protest site near the D.C. Jail where supporters of accused rioters gather, and allegedly distributed threats via his YouTube channel.
* After former President Trump allegedly posted Obama’s address online, Taranto reposted the address and was subsequently arrested near the location.
* Prosecutors reported that Taranto’s wife indicated he had moved to D.C. in response to House Speaker, Kevin McCarthy’s proposed release of video footage from the January 6 Capitol riot.
Legal outlook: The decision regarding the prosecution’s request to hold Taranto in custody pending trial is pending a July 12 hearing by U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui.
* Taranto’s public defender, Kathryn D’Adamo Guevara, argued that Taranto has “zero criminal history”, a stable family home in Washington state, and existing mental health service connections.
* It remains unclear when prosecutors might add new charges or how serious they might be.
This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.
Leave a Reply