Andrew Taake, a 35-year-old Houston man, was sentenced to over six years in federal prison for his actions during the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. As reported by Houston Chronicle, Taake pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers with bear spray and a whip-like weapon and will serve 74 months behind bars, followed by 36 months of supervised release.
During the chaos of Jan. 6, 2021, Taake used bear spray against law enforcement and struck an officer with a metal whip, resulting in one of the more severe sentences among Houston-area defendants linked to the riot. The impact of his actions was conveyed through the words of Metropolitan Police Officer Nathan Tate, who, in a victim impact statement, described the bear spray assault as "living death." Tate revealed the attack not only caused him immense physical pain but also lasting psychological distress, according to details shared by Houston Chronicle.
Taake, who before the insurrection was on pretrial release for an unrelated charge of online solicitation of a minor, was identified as a participant in the riot in part due to his own messages on a dating app. A female correspondent on Bumble turned over their communication to the authorities after Taake boasted about being at the Capitol. In addition, he was tracked using airline flight records which confirmed his travel from Houston to the D.C. area during the period of the riot, as per Houston Public Media.
In the ensuing investigation, government prosecutors presented body-camera footage from the scene, as well as publicly posted photos and videos, to establish Taake's presence among the mob, and to demonstrate his violent actions towards officers. This evidence ultimately, contributed to his conviction and the subsequent sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, which was just shy of the 78 months recommended by prosecutors. Taake was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution, and at the time of sentencing, he had already spent approximately 34 months in custody, according to Houston Chronicle.
With over 1,400 individuals charged in relation to the Jan. 6 insurrection, the repercussions and legal proceedings continue to unfold. Taake's case serves as a stark reminder of the severity of the offenses committed during the attempt to subvert the democratic process. As for Taake, his previous misdemeanor charge from 2016 is still active, overwhelmingly complicating his legal troubles.
