Cicero, IL – A man accused of firing a gun during the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and claiming he had “nothing to worry about” because of a predicted presidential pardon has been arrested again, this time on charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault. Authorities say John Banuelos, 40, was taken into custody in Illinois on October 17 after a felony warrant was issued in Utah.
The Incident: Arrest in Chicago Suburb After Felony Warrant
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force located Banuelos in Cicero, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, following an alert from Utah officials.
Authorities began surveilling the area of 9th Street and Cicero Avenue after receiving information that Banuelos was nearby. He was spotted walking into a fast-food restaurant, then later entered a ride-share vehicle, where officers conducted a traffic stop and arrested him without incident.
Banuelos was wanted by the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office for aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault, though details of the alleged Utah crimes have not yet been released.
Background: Jan. 6 Capitol Breach and Firearm Incident
Banuelos first gained national attention after being accused of discharging a firearm during the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Prosecutors alleged that he was seen flashing a gun, climbing scaffolding, and firing two shots into the air as the crowd clashed with police officers outside the building.
“This conduct is mind-numbingly dangerous,” prosecutors wrote in his detention memorandum. “Any number of life-threatening events could have transpired… but the fact that no such harm ensued does nothing to mitigate the seriousness of Banuelos’s actions.”
He was charged in 2023 with trespassing with a deadly weapon, carrying and discharging a firearm, and civil disorder, but avoided harsher penalties after claiming he would receive a pardon.
Banuelos reportedly told associates he had “nothing to worry about” because he believed former President Donald Trump would pardon all rioters once sworn into office. After Trump’s 2021 departure, Banuelos continued to evade additional legal consequences until his eventual arrest in Illinois.
Previous Crimes and Encounters with Law Enforcement
Court records show that Banuelos has had a long history of violent behavior, with five prior convictions in Illinois and Utah dating back to 2003. His record includes charges of misdemeanor assault, resisting arrest, fleeing law enforcement, and marijuana possession.
He has also been arrested 19 times over the past two decades.
In July 2021, Banuelos was investigated but not charged in the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old man in Utah following a dispute over money. He told police the act was done in self-defense after being hit in the head with a skateboard.
“All I know is I did it to defend my life, man,” Banuelos reportedly said in an interview obtained by local media. “They were trying to hurt me for $150 that I did not take.”
During that same interview, he allegedly admitted to being inside the Capitol on January 6, telling officers he was “the one in the video with the gun.”
Investigation and Recent Federal Activity
In March 2022, the FBI contacted Banuelos about his claims of carrying a firearm during the Capitol riot. He initially refused to cooperate, later calling agents back and allegedly making “incoherent statements,” claiming people were “messing with his mind.”
In January 2024, the FBI interviewed Banuelos again after he allegedly made threatening social media posts, including a video showing him racking the slide of a semi-automatic pistol. Banuelos denied making the posts, claiming they were fabricated by artificial intelligence and that any weapons shown were fake.
He was arrested on March 8, 2024, at his mother’s home in Summit, Illinois, for his role in the Capitol breach. During a search, agents recovered a BB gun starter pistol but not the weapon allegedly used at the Capitol.
Legal Proceedings and Next Steps
Banuelos is currently being held without bail in Allegheny County, pending extradition to Utah to face the aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault charges.
Federal officials have not indicated whether his new charges will affect his ongoing federal case tied to the Capitol riot. Prosecutors have described him as a danger to the public, citing his repeated offenses and escalating violence.
Authorities say the new case underscores how several Capitol rioters continue to face unrelated criminal charges years after the January 6 insurrection.
Conclusion
From firing a gun during the Capitol riots to now facing kidnapping and sexual assault allegations, John Banuelos’s criminal history paints a troubling picture of repeated violent behavior. As he awaits transfer to Utah, prosecutors say his case highlights the persistent threat posed by individuals involved in extremist acts — both inside and outside of Washington.
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