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Father and son charged in connection with kidnapping of Forest Service workers: DOJ
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Key Points:
- Joseph Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, have been federally charged with kidnapping two U.S. Forest Service workers held hostage for 15 hours in Northern California's Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
- The two female employees were conducting fieldwork when Joseph Henrichsen allegedly approached them armed with an AR-15, restrained them with zip ties, and confined them in a remote trailer.
- Joseph Henrichsen reportedly used one victim's phone to make threatening calls, demanding a federal investigator and warning he was prepared to use live ammunition.
- After a prolonged standoff and hostage negotiations, both victims were safely released, and the Henrichsens surrendered; the motive for the crime remains unclear.
- If convicted, the father and son face up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine; both were ordered detained with a preliminary hearing set for August 3.
