Topline
The FBI announced that agents had captured a Proud Boy who disappeared just three days before he was to be sentenced for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, following a month-long manhunt for the member of the far-right group.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for the Proud Boy last month, three days before he faced … [+]
Key Facts
Christopher Worrell, 52, was captured late Thursday, according to the FBI, which confirmed Worrell’s arrest to the Associated Press on Friday but did not offer additional information.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a federal arrest warrant for Worrell—who was on house arrest in Florida—on August 15, three days before Worrell was scheduled to be sentenced.
In May, Worrell was found guilty of seven charges stemming from his involvement in the Capitol riot, including obstruction of an official proceeding and engaging in violence on Capitol grounds.
He faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge in addition to possible financial penalties, according to the Justice Department—though prosecutors have requested a 14-year sentence—and may face additional punishment for his disappearance.
Big Number
More than 36. That’s how many Proud Boys have been charged for their involvement in the Capitol attack, according to the Justice Department. Former Proud Boys chair Enrique Tarrio was sentenced earlier this month to 22 years in prison, the longest sentence handed out so far to anyone involved in the Capitol attack.
Key Background
Worrell was initially arrested in March 2021 and later released to be held under house arrest in the lead-up to his sentencing, which was scheduled for August 18. Worrell was charged with assaulting officers with pepper spray during the January 6 Capitol riot, and was captured in multiple photos of the Proud Boys at the Capitol that day. Worrell’s attorneys claimed he was spraying other rioters, though Judge Royce C. Lamberth said this claim was “preposterous,” adding Worrell’s testimony had been undermined by contradictions and false statements. According to the Justice Department, a photojournalist witnessed Worrell spraying toward Capitol police, and Worrell allegedly bragged that he had “deployed a whole can” while “handing it to them.” Worrell is one of several members of the Proud Boys—a far-right organization formed in 2016 by Vice cofounder Gavin McInnis—who have been convicted for their involvement in the riot.
Further Reading
FBI Launches Search For Convicted Proud Boy Who Disappeared Before Jan. 6 Sentencing (Forbes)
Proud Boys Member Who Disappeared Ahead Of His Sentencing In The Jan. 6 Attack Has Been Arrested (Associated Press)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2023/09/29/fbi-captures-proud-boy-who-disappeared-before-jan-6-sentencing/