Christopher John Worrell of Naples, a member of the 'Proud Boys' extremist group, who disappeared days before his sentencing in the U.S. Capitol riot case in August, is now in FBI custody.
Few details were released, but an FBI official confirmed the arrest late Thursday night.
"I can confirm Christopher Worrell is in custody," Andrea Aprea, with the FBI Tampa office, told WGCU. "No further details are available at this time."
Worrell was found guilty in May of multiple charges in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach. A member of the 'Proud Boys' extremist group, Worrell disappeared days before his sentencing in the case, according to a warrant later made public.
His sentencing was cancelled and is expected to be rescheduled at some point. Prosecutors are seeking more than a decade in prison.
Worrell was found guilty of spraying pepper spray gel on police officers, as part of the mob storming the Capitol as Congress was certifying Joe Biden’s presidential victory on Jan. 6, 2021. Prosecutors had asked a judge to sentence him to 14 years.
The sentencing was canceled and a bench warrant for his arrest issued under seal, according to court records. The U.S. attorney’s office for Washington D.C. encouraged the public to share any information about his whereabouts.
The FBI confirmed earlier in September that a nationwide search was in effect for Worrell.
Additionally, the main legal representative for Worrell, Attorney William Lee Shipley, Jr. of Kailua, Hawaii, appeared earlier in September on Dan Abrams Live, on the NewsNation cable network, and spoke briefly about Worrell.
Shipley said he had not heard from his client since before he vanished and didn't know if there was an active search for Worrell.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
Copyright 2023 WGCU. To see more, visit WGCU. 9(MDAyNDY5ODMwMDEyMjg3NjMzMTE1ZjE2MA001))
