Man charged in Capitol riot now arrested for kidnapping and sexual assault
A man previously accused of firing a gun during the January 6 Capitol riot has been arrested on charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman in Utah years before the attack. Authorities say 40-year-old John Emanuel Banuelos was taken into custody in Illinois last month under a warrant issued by Salt Lake County. Court documents reveal that Banuelos is accused of drugging, assaulting, and holding a woman captive for more than 12 hours in June 2018. He remains jailed in Cook County, Illinois, as extradition proceedings are pending. Police said Banuelos approached the woman at a train station, lured her to his home under the pretense of a party, and then beat, strangled, and threatened to kill her. DNA evidence collected earlier this year allegedly linked him to the assault, prompting the new charges of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault.
Banuelos, who has an extensive criminal record with more than two dozen prior arrests in Illinois and Utah, first gained national attention after being filmed firing two shots into the air outside the U.S. Capitol during the January 6, 2021, riot. Federal authorities said he was seen climbing scaffolding and brandishing a handgun amid the chaos. He was arrested in March 2024 on federal riot-related charges, but those charges were later dismissed after President Donald Trump issued a sweeping clemency order in January pardoning all individuals charged in connection with the Capitol breach. During his court appearance last year, Banuelos appeared confident about his legal prospects, saying he expected Trump’s return to office would absolve him.
The latest charges make Banuelos one of several individuals tied to the Capitol riot who have since faced unrelated criminal accusations. Investigators say DNA evidence and renewed cooperation between Utah and Illinois law enforcement were key to bringing the kidnapping and sexual assault case back to life. The victim, who was experiencing homelessness at the time, told police she feared for her life during the attack and has spent years waiting for justice. Banuelos now faces the possibility of significant prison time if convicted on the Utah charges, while federal authorities continue to monitor developments in his case.
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