Christopher Worrell ― a Proud Boys member who authorities say faked a drug overdose and went on the run for six weeks to flee sentencing for his violent function within the 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol ― has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Worrell was convicted in May on prices of assault, civil dysfunction and obstruction of an official continuing. On Thursday, he apologized to D.C. District Judge Royce Lamberth for his actions, whereas his protection legal professional argued for leniency as a consequence of Worrell’s well being points.
“Nearly three years ago today, I made some choices I sincerely regret,” Worrell informed the choose, in accordance to CBS News. “Please forgive me and have mercy on me.”
Worrell, who was a member of the “Hurricane Coast” chapter of the Proud Boys in Florida, used a bottle of pepper spray on cops in the course of the riot, prosecutors stated. He was arrested two months later.
Following his conviction final yr, Worrell was allowed to await his sentencing on home arrest after being recognized with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
He reduce off his ankle monitor 4 days earlier than his sentencing in August and went on the lam for six weeks. It was solely when he tried to covertly return to his dwelling in Naples the next month that he was caught by FBI brokers who had been staked outdoors, prosecutors stated.
Rather than surrendering quietly, authorities stated, Worrell faked a drug overdose inside his dwelling. Agents discovered him apparently unresponsive with an opioid prescription treatment in his hand. He was taken to a hospital and acquired 5 days of medical care and 24-hour police surveillance earlier than being launched.
“The entire time, Worrell knew he was fine,” prosecutors stated in a memorandum filed final week, the place they requested the court docket to extend the sentencing it had deliberate to impose. Before Worrell’s escape, prosecutors had requested the court docket to condemn him to 14 years.
“Worrell had many, many opportunities to admit his conduct or express remorse, even after conviction,” prosecutors stated. “He instead fled and had to be dragged, while faking a medical emergency, back into custody.”
The choose in the end did present some leniency, citing Worrell’s poor well being.
“I don’t want to see you die in prison,” Lamberth stated, in response to Politico.
