Christopher Worrell ― a Proud Boys member who authorities say faked a drug overdose and went on the run for six weeks to escape sentencing for his violent role in the 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol ― has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Worrell was convicted in May on charges of assault, civil disorder and obstruction of an official proceeding. On Thursday, he apologized to D.C. District Judge Royce Lamberth for his actions, while his defense attorney argued for leniency due to Worrell’s health issues.
“Nearly three years ago today, I made some choices I sincerely regret,” Worrell told the judge, according 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 police officers during the riot, prosecutors said. He was arrested two months later.
Following his conviction last year, Worrell was allowed to await his sentencing on house arrest after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
He cut off his ankle monitor four days before his sentencing in August and went on the lam for six weeks. It was only when he tried to covertly return to his home in Naples the following month that he was caught by FBI agents who were staked outside, prosecutors said.
Rather than surrendering quietly, authorities said, Worrell faked a drug overdose inside his home. Agents found him apparently unresponsive with an opioid prescription medication in his hand. He was taken to a hospital and received five days of medical care and 24-hour police surveillance before being released.
“The entire time, Worrell knew he was fine,” prosecutors said in a memorandum filed last week, where they asked the court to increase the sentencing it had planned to impose. Before Worrell’s escape, prosecutors had asked the court to sentence him to 14 years.
“Worrell had many, many opportunities to admit his conduct or express remorse, even after conviction,” prosecutors said. “He instead fled and had to be dragged, while faking a medical emergency, back into custody.”
The judge ultimately did show some leniency, citing Worrell’s poor health.
“I don’t want to see you die in prison,” Lamberth said, according to Politico.