Pardoned Jan. 6 rioter convicted for assault on Metro passenger

A man who received a presidential pardon for his participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack was sentenced to conviction for a Metro assault in Washington, D.C. Bryan Betancur, who has identified as a white supremacist and previously wore Proud Boys gear during the insurrection, was found guilty of simple assault after he covertly brushed a woman's hair on a subway car and posted the footage online. Judge Anthony Epstein described the conduct as "creepy" and cited the video’s caption as proof of criminal intent.

The victim described ongoing trauma, saying she thinks about the video each time she rides the Metro. Prosecutors are asking for the maximum penalty of 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, rejecting Betancur’s request for credit for the 125 days he served after an earlier bail violation. He also faces a separate stalking charge in Washington and assault and battery allegations in Arlington, Virginia, where similar hair-touching videos were allegedly livestreamed. A sentencing hearing is set for Thursday afternoon.