Bryan Betancur, a resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, was found guilty of a simple assault charge in the Washington, D.C., Superior Court. The conviction arose from an incident in which Betancur sat behind a woman on a Metro Red Line train, touched her hair, and posted the encounter on social media.
The judge commented on the nature of the act, stating, “It’s just a creepy thing to do.” The victim, who appeared in the video, expressed the ongoing impact the incident had on her. She shared with the court, “I think about this video every single day. I think about this video every time I get on the Metro, which is twice every single day.” Her testimony highlighted the changes in how she feels about public spaces, describing feelings of paranoia and exposure post-incident.
“It was very upsetting and unsettling to see someone had touched me and posted about it on the internet without my consent,” she testified.
For his conviction, Betancur faces a misdemeanor charge that carries a maximum sentence of 180 days. He has already spent 125 days in custody following a judge’s decision in April over a bail violation. Prosecutors aim to pursue further jail time, in addition to a $1,000 fine.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Betancur also faces a stalking charge in Washington, D.C., and another assault and battery charge in Arlington, Virginia. The Arlington case involves a similar allegation where he is accused of livestreaming himself touching another woman’s hair on a train.
The FBI has identified Betancur as a self-declared white supremacist, who was caught holding a Confederate flag during the January 6 insurrection. The federal case against him detailed his presence at the Capitol despite being on parole for burglary, equipped with an ankle monitor. He served time in jail for this but received a pardon from President Donald Trump.
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