Pardoned Capitol Rioter Arrested for Assault and Battery on Train Near the Capitol: Police

Bryan Betancur, a 28-year-old man convicted of participating in the January 6 Capitol attack, has once again been arrested. This time, the Maryland native is accused of touching a female passenger’s hair on a train.

The incident took place on March 1, when Betancur boarded the Washington Metro Silver Line. As the train neared the Clarendon Station in Arlington, Virginia, the man allegedly began to touch a woman’s hair. The video of the incident was circulated online, with many claiming that Betancur had livestreamed himself while secretly trying to touch multiple passengers’ hair.

As the video reached the Metro Transit Police, they began looking for Betancur. Posting a picture of the suspect on X, the police wrote, “We are aware of videos circulating on social media depicting inappropriate behavior toward Metro customers. We’re taking reports seriously and actively investigating every lead.”

Betancur was arrested on the night of March 2 and charged with assault and battery. Metro Transit Police provided an update on X, writing, “Late last night, our officers located and arrested 28-year-old Bryan Betancur. Anyone with information about this individual is still encouraged to contact MTPD.”

Two days later, a judge denied him bail. He is being held in Montgomery County, but will be transferred to Virginia for trial.

Journalist Amanda Moore said that this is not the first time Betancur has shown inappropriate behaviour toward girls. In a statement to News4, Moore disclosed that the accused has a long history of stalking and threatening women.

She said, “He has a long history of terrorizing women and teenage girls, and we've all been waiting for so long — some people since they were in high school — for this moment, and we're all just so happy. Women for at least the last 14 years of this guy's life have been victimized by him, and it's just getting worse and worse.”

Betancur earlier made news in May 2022 when he pleaded guilty to barging into the Capitol Building during the 2021 riots. During the attack, Betancur was seen wearing a mask and waving a Confederate flag. He was eventually sentenced to four months in prison for entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds.

However, President Donald Trump pardoned him and over 1500 other people in relation to the Capitol riots when he assumed office for his second term in January 2025. Interestingly, Betancur was out on parole in a burglary case in Maryland when he participated in the riots.

He told the officers that he was going to Washington, D.C. to distribute Bibles, but instead headed to the Capitol Building, all while wearing an ankle monitor. The FBI has described him as a white supremacist who is a part of several controversial organizations.