FBI Seeks Public’s Help in Locating Jan. 6 Capitol Assault Defendant
Washington — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is reaching out to the public for assistance in locating Christopher Worrell, a former member of the Proud Boys and defendant in a case linked to the January 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Worrell failed to show up for his scheduled sentencing on Friday in Washington, D.C., according to court filings and public statements.
Worrell was convicted of seven counts in a bench trial in May, including obstruction of an official proceeding and assaulting officers. Prosecutors alleged that he used pepper spray gel on law enforcement officers as they defended the north side of the Capitol against rioters during the attack.
Judge Royce Lamberth, explaining his decision to convict Worrell, wrote, “Mr. Worrell did, in fact, spray his Sabre Red Maximum Strength Pepper Gel at a line of law enforcement officers protecting the Capitol. Of course, no one can doubt that he did actually spray that pepper gel.”
Following Worrell’s absence at the sentencing hearing, Lamberth issued a bench warrant for his arrest, and the FBI issued an alert asking for assistance in locating and apprehending him. Prosecutors are seeking a 14-year prison sentence, while Worrell’s defense attorney argued for 30 months of home detention, citing his client’s health condition that requires close monitoring.
Worrell’s attorney stated, “Mr. Worrell’s acts happened over a 2-3 second period when he depressed the trigger mechanism on the container of pepper spray. But for that single act, it is unlikely that Mr. Worrell would have faced any charges since he did not go inside the Capitol.”
The sentencing hearing has been suspended until Worrell is taken into custody. The case gained attention earlier this year when Lamberth held the warden of the Washington, D.C., jail in civil contempt due to Worrell’s claim of not receiving proper care for an injury sustained while in custody. Worrell was also undergoing treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but his attorneys stated that he did not receive adequate treatment for the disease. The officials were held in contempt after failing to provide the judge with requested medical documentation.
Despite his conviction, Worrell was released to home confinement to ensure adequate medical care. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., has requested any information regarding Worrell’s whereabouts. Worrell’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment.