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The FBI is seeking information that will lead to the capture of Christopher Worrell, a member of the Proud Boys who has been convicted for his role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
Worrell was due to be sentenced on Friday but he has gone missing and a federal arrest warrant has been issued for him, with the FBI appealing for help from the public.
A member of the far-right extremist group Proud Boys, Worrell was convicted on seven charges for his actions during the storming of the Capitol, including being found guilty of spraying pepper spray gel on police officers.
Prosecutors were seeking a sentence of 14 years but the sentencing was canceled and authorities are now trying to find Worrell.
The FBI has issued a wanted poster for Worrell, providing information about him and appealing to the public to make contact if they have any information about his whereabouts.
Newsweek has reached out to the FBI via email for further comment.
Worrell is 52 years old and was under house arrest in Florida until his disappearance. He is white, 6'3" and 280 pounds, according to the FBI's wanted poster.
"Christopher John Worrell is wanted for violating conditions of release pending sentencing on federal charges related to the violence at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021," the FBI bulletin said.
"A federal arrest warrant was issued for Worrell in the United States District Court, District of Columbia, Washington, D.C., on August 15, 2023," the FBI added.
The FBI has asked anyone with information about Worrell's whereabouts to contact their local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate.
Patty Hartman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, also appealed for information in a statement to CNN on Friday.
"We are interested in hearing from any members of the public who might have information regarding Mr. Worrell's whereabouts," Hartman said.
While serving time in jail awaiting trial, Worrell's health issues and treatment were cited as part of the "Justice for J6" rallies and online movement.
He has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Worrell also contracted COVID-19 during his time in jail.
He was released from jail and placed under house arrest in November 2021, less than a month after U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth held the District of Columbia's corrections director and jail warden in contempt of court and said that Worrell's civil rights had been violated.
"It's clear to me the civil rights of the defendant were violated by the D.C. Department of Corrections," the judge said. "I don't know if it's because he's a January 6 defendant or not."
Lamberth found that medical care for a broken hand had been delayed but prosecutors later argued in a court filing that Worrell made false claims about an injury to his pinky finger that led to the judge's decision.
About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more