A member of the Proud Boys extremist group, who had gone missing just days before his scheduled sentencing for his involvement in the US Capitol riot, has been arrested, according to the FBI. Christopher Worrell, residing in Naples, Florida, was under house arrest when he disappeared last month, prompting concerns. Worrell was facing a potential 14-year prison sentence for charges of assault, obstruction of Congress, and other offenses.
The FBI spokesperson, Andrea Aprea, confirmed Worrell’s arrest but didn’t provide further details. Records indicate that he is currently being held at the Collier County Jail. When asked for more information, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office directed all inquiries to the FBI.
Worrell’s attorney, William Shipley, did not immediately respond to a message requesting comment on the matter.
The 52-year-old had been on house arrest in Florida since his release from a Washington jail in November 2021. His release followed a judge’s ruling that supported Worrell’s complaints about the violation of his civil rights while in custody. US District Judge Royce Lamberth held District of Columbia jail officials in contempt of court for delaying medical care related to Worrell’s broken hand.
Earlier in May, Worrell was convicted, following a bench trial, for assaulting officers with pepper spray gel during the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump. Accounts state that Worrell, donning a tactical vest, bragged about deploying a whole can and insulted the officers by calling them commies and scum.
Prosecutors argue that Worrell perjured himself during the trial by claiming he sprayed other rioters with the gel. The judge dismissed this assertion as preposterous, as stated in court documents filed by prosecutors.
In defense, Worrell’s lawyer contended that his client carried the spray gel and tactical vest for self-defense due to previous violent encounters between Proud Boys and counter-protesters. The lawyer suggested that the chaos at the Capitol may have contributed to misperceptions, leading to inaccuracies in Worrell’s testimony during the trial.
Federal authorities have identified more than 30 individuals associated with the Proud Boys as leaders, members, or associates involved in the January 6 attack. The group describes itself as a politically incorrect men’s club for Western chauvinists.
In a separate sentencing earlier this month, the former national chairman of the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, received a 22-year prison term – the longest sentence handed down thus far for his role in the January 6 attack. Tarrio and three other Proud Boys associates were convicted of seditious conspiracy and other charges related to an alleged plot to impede the transfer of power from Trump to President Joe Biden.
Over 1,100 individuals have faced federal charges in connection with the January 6 riot. Approximately two-thirds of those sentenced, out of over 650 individuals, have received prison time, based on a review of court records by the Associated Press.
