"Former January 6 Defendant Found Guilty of Illegal Possession of Firearms and Hoax Bomb Threat Near Obama's Residence"

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"Former January 6 Defendant Found Guilty of Illegal Possession of Firearms and Hoax Bomb Threat Near Obama's Residence"

[!CDATA[A military veteran and former January 6 defendant has been found guilty of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition in his van near President Barack Obama's residence in Washington, D.C. The defendant, Taylor Taranto, was also convicted of making a hoax bomb threat against a government building in Maryland. The judge presiding over the case, U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, reached the verdict after a bench trial that took place last week. Taranto, whose Capitol riot case was previously dismissed by a presidential proclamation, was apprehended in Obama's neighborhood on the same day that former President Trump shared what he claimed to be Obama's address on social media. Authorities discovered two guns, approximately 500 rounds of ammunition, and a machete in Taranto's van. He was livestreaming on YouTube, discussing finding entry points to underground tunnels and aiming for a shot, which led to his arrest. Despite not being charged with threatening Obama or John Podesta, Taranto was convicted of making a hoax bomb threat against the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Maryland. His defense argued that he was joking in an "avant-garde" manner during the livestreamed video, but the judge determined that his statements could have been perceived as coming from an unbalanced individual willing to act on outlandish claims. Judge Nichols, appointed by Trump, did not immediately set a sentencing date for Taranto, who has been in custody for nearly two years due to concerns about public safety. The defense requested his release until sentencing, which the judge plans to address later this week. Taranto, a Navy veteran from Pasco, Washington, is among the few individuals charged in the January 6 Capitol attack who remained incarcerated following Trump's clemency actions in January. Before Trump's pardons, Taranto faced four misdemeanors related to the Capitol riot, where he was seen among the rioters breaching the building. He was captured on video near the Speaker's Lobby at the time of the fatal shooting of rioter Ashli Babbitt by a law enforcement officer as she attempted to climb through a broken window. In conclusion, Taranto, a military veteran and former January 6 defendant, has been convicted of possessing illegal firearms and ammunition near President Obama's residence and making a hoax bomb threat against a government building in Maryland. Despite his previous Capitol riot case being dismissed, Taranto remains in custody pending sentencing, as the judge considers his potential release.]]