Houston Fugitive Wanted for Online Solicitation of a Minor Arrested; Had Been Pardoned by Trump for Jan 6 Charges

Andrew Taake, who was wanted in Harris County for online solicitation of a minor, was taken into custody on Thursday, February 6, at 11:30 a.m. by the Harris County District Attorney’s Fugitive Apprehension Section in coordination with multiple law enforcement agencies.

Taake had been charged in May 2016, and authorities tracked him to a residence in Leon County following a surveillance operation on February 4.

“We would like to thank the coordinated efforts of our office’s Fugitive Apprehension Section, Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and Texas Department of Public Safety for their diligence in getting this suspected child predator back into custody,” said Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare.

Taake’s bond in Harris County has been revoked, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office will coordinate with Leon County authorities to transfer him to the Harris County Jail.

The arrest follows a January 27 statement from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office regarding Taake’s release from federal custody in Florence, Colorado, on January 20. Officials had requested federal authorities hold him due to his outstanding Harris County warrant, originally filed in 2022. However, the Bureau of Prisons required a certified warrant, and despite a clerk faxing the document on January 15, Taake was released five days later under a pardon order issued by former President Donald Trump for his role as a January 6, 2020, rioter at the Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Authorities emphasized that re-arresting individuals released with pending state warrants would require significant resources but confirmed efforts were already underway to bring Taake to justice.