DOJ wants 14-year jail term, $181K fine for cancer-stricken Florida Proud Boys member.
The U.S. Department of Justice Seeks 14-Year Prison Term for Proud Boys Member Convicted of Assaulting Police on Jan. 6
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is pushing for a 14-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $181,000 for Christopher John Worrell, a member of the Proud Boys who was convicted of assaulting police with pepper gel during the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
If U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth accepts the DOJ’s recommendation, it would be one of the longest prison terms handed down in a Jan. 6 case. The sentencing is scheduled for August 18 in Washington.
In addition to the prison term, prosecutors are also recommending three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $181,000, restitution of $2,000, and $610 in mandatory special assessments.
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Worrell was found guilty in a May bench trial on all seven charges filed against him, including civil disorder, assaulting officers with a dangerous weapon, and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly weapon.
His defense attorney, William Shipley, is requesting 30 months of home detention for Worrell so that he can continue to receive treatment for his chronic non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Worrell was first diagnosed with the disease in 2007.
Worrell’s blood disease went untreated for eight months while he was in the District of Columbia jail after his arrest in March 2021. In November 2021, Judge Lamberth ordered his release so that he could undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments at home in Florida.
Due to the documented jail conditions and the denial of medical care for Worrell’s cancer and broken finger, Judge Lamberth held the D.C. jail warden and corrections director in contempt of court. The case was referred to the DOJ for potential civil rights violations of January 6 defendants.
According to Worrell’s previous attorney, Alex Stavrou Sr., the conditions in the D.C. jail were “completely atrocious.” Water was often turned off in the pods housing Jan. 6 defendants, resulting in backed-up toilets and detainees being unable to shower or shave.
In a 49-page sentencing memorandum, Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Dreher and Alexis Loeb stated that the DOJ would have sought a longer prison term for Worrell if it weren’t for his cancer. The federal pretrial services office calculated his potential prison time under sentencing guidelines as between 168 and 210 months (14–17 1/2 years).
‘Taking the Capitol!’
The longest prison sentence handed down in a Jan. 6 case so far was 18 years, given to Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III for his conviction on seditious conspiracy and other charges.
The DOJ’s sentencing memorandum extensively details the inflammatory statements made by Worrell on Jan. 6, as well as his use of pepper gel against the police. According to the DOJ, Worrell verbally attacked the officers for half an hour before spraying them with pepper gel from within the crowd.
Worrell and other Proud Boys members played a significant role in breaching the Capitol Building by collapsing the police line on the west front. When the police line guarding the northwest steps fell, Worrell shouted, “Yeah! Taking the Capitol!”
However, Worrell did not enter the Capitol itself.
During the trial, Worrell showed no remorse for his actions and instead told lies in an attempt to shift blame and portray himself as a hero protecting the police, according to the DOJ memo. Prosecutors also allege that Worrell lied under oath and provided false information to the FBI during its investigation.
In his own sentencing memo, Shipley argued that much of the information presented by the DOJ is irrelevant to Worrell’s actual conduct on Jan. 6. Shipley calculated Worrell’s sentencing range as between 63 and 78 months and requested a downward variance in sentencing guidelines. He recommended 60 months of probation with 30 months of home detention to ensure Worrell receives proper treatment for his lymphoma.
Shipley also highlighted the fact that Worrell was initially denied medical care while in detention, and it took nine court appearances over 240 days for him to receive the necessary treatment.
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