Illinois Man Accused of Firing Gun During Jan. 6 Riot Arrested Again for Alleged Kidnapping and Sexual Assault
CICERO, ILLINOIS — An Illinois man previously accused of firing a gun during the January 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol is back behind bars after being arrested for aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault stemming from a felony warrant issued in Utah.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that 40-year-old John Banuelos was taken into custody on October 17, 2025, after deputies and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force tracked him to the area of 9th Street and Cicero Avenue in Cicero, a suburb of Chicago.
Authorities said Banuelos was arrested inside a rideshare vehicle outside a fast-food restaurant. He had been wanted in Salt Lake County, Utah, for the serious felony charges.
Banuelos Once Claimed He’d Be Pardoned After Capitol Riots
Banuelos gained national attention for his alleged actions during the Capitol breach on January 6, where prosecutors said he discharged a firearm into the air while rioters clashed with law enforcement.
According to Law&Crime, Banuelos was charged with trespassing with a deadly weapon, carrying and discharging a firearm, and civil disorder. Prosecutors described his conduct as “mind-numbingly dangerous,” adding that his actions could have triggered a deadly chain reaction at the Capitol.
Banuelos previously told investigators he had “nothing to worry about” because he believed he would be pardoned by former President Donald Trump, whose election victory he said he had predicted.
Court records show Banuelos later benefited from a presidential pardon issued to certain rioters in early 2021, allowing him to avoid immediate prosecution in the federal case.
Long Criminal History and Violent Past
Investigators say Banuelos’s criminal record stretches across multiple states, including Illinois and Utah, with at least 19 prior arrests and five convictions since 2003 for offenses like assault, resisting arrest, fleeing law enforcement, and marijuana possession.
In July 2021, Banuelos was investigated — though not charged — in the fatal stabbing of a 19-year-old man in Utah following a fight over money. He reportedly told police he acted in self-defense after being struck with a skateboard, saying, “I did it to defend my life, man.”
Banuelos later admitted to Utah detectives that he was the individual seen with a gun during the Capitol riots, saying, “Yeah, I went inside, and I’m the one with the video with the gun right here.”
Authorities said Banuelos was also questioned by the FBI in March 2022 and January 2024 after making a series of incoherent and threatening social media posts — one allegedly showing him racking the slide of a pistol. He claimed that “many” of his posts were created by artificial intelligence.
Arrest in Cicero and Extradition to Utah
Following months of investigation, federal agents located Banuelos in Summit, Illinois, and later in Cicero, where he was arrested last month. Deputies said he is currently being held pending extradition to Utah.
He now faces aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault charges out of Salt Lake County, though authorities have not yet released details of the alleged crimes.
Banuelos remains in custody as both Utah and federal authorities continue coordinating their respective investigations.
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