In a poignant moment of his life, Eric Bochene found himself seated in a desolate conference room with faded white t-shirt, ears strained to catch the sound emanating from his computer. Frustration etched on his face, Bochene was grappling with technical glitches in the virtual conference technology. This was not the conventional court appearance one would expect for someone pleading guilty to a federal criminal charge for their involvement in the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Bochene’s lawyer was not physically present by his side, instead appearing through a separate virtual connection. Moreover, Bochene had no say in the choice of his attire. Despite being charged only with a misdemeanor, he was compelled to participate remotely in his hearing from a holding room in Broome County jail in Binghamton, NY. Sitting under fluorescent lights in his jail outfit, Bochene stood out as a distinctive Jan. 6 defendant, one among the growing number of U.S. Capitol riot defendants who went on the run after their arrests or initial court appearances.
The prosecution related to the Jan. 6, 2021 siege stands as the largest in American history, encompassing approximately 1,100 criminal defendants hailing from almost every state. While over 600 of these defendants have already pleaded guilty, and several have faced trial, at least six individuals have become fugitives. Some remain wanted by the FBI, including Eric Bochene, who faced four federal counts. He was accused of hurling a large object at a Capitol window before infiltrating the premises amidst the mob during the siege. Opting to represent himself in court after his arrest in May 2021, Bochene displayed defiance, invoking language consistent with the sovereign citizen movement in several court filings. In one such filing, he made an unsuccessful demand for $75,000 per hour in legal fees for his own case and even signed a court document with a red fingerprint. During a court hearing, Bochene hesitated when asked his age by the judge, responding, “52 or 53.” He also admitted that he had once contemplated renouncing his U.S. citizenship.
As his trial date neared, Bochene’s defiance escalated. He failed to appear for a mandatory pretrial status conference in Washington, D.C. on July 18. Consequently, a warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was apprehended by U.S. Marshals in the southern region of New York, leading to his court appearance in Binghamton on August 2. Bochene pleaded guilty to the charge of entering a restricted building and could face up to one year in prison at his sentencing hearing in November. Due to his failure to appear in court in July, the plea agreement mandated that Bochene remain in custody at Broome County jail until the sentencing hearing. Although he expressed discontent with this requirement, Bochene did not contest the decision at his plea hearing.
In the Tampa, Florida area, there are four fugitives linked to the U.S. Capitol riot, all of whom are being pursued. One of these fugitives is Christopher Worrell, a member of the far-right Proud Boys organization. Worrell, aged 52, went missing a few days before his scheduled sentencing hearing in August. The FBI has issued a wanted poster urging individuals with information to come forward. Worrell was found guilty in May of multiple federal charges, including assaulting or resisting police. Prosecutors revealed that Worrell had sprayed pepper gel at a line of police officers defending the Capitol against the mob. He later bragged about his actions, stating he had “deployed a whole can” and was “f****** handing it to them.” While under house arrest pending sentencing, prosecutors recommended a 14-year prison term for him.
Additionally, the FBI is actively searching for three other Jan. 6 defendants from the Tampa area, including Jonathan Pollock, who has been a fugitive for almost two years. A reward of $30,000 has been offered for information leading to Pollock’s arrest, but the reward money and a wanted poster featuring various images of Pollock have not yet aided in his capture. The Justice Department accuses Pollock of being involved in a violent attack during the Capitol siege. Prosecutors stated that Pollock had “seized a riot shield from an officer and engaged in a tug-of-war-style conflict before pulling the officer down the steps, breaking the officer’s grasp, and taking the shield.” He then charged up the steps, shield in hand, and smashed into the police line. FBI Tampa Special Agent in Charge David Walker requested the public’s cooperation in locating Pollock, labeling him as a fugitive.
Another individual sought by federal authorities is Olivia Pollock, Jonathan Pollock’s sister and co-defendant. She went missing days before her trial was set to begin in March, prompting a federal judge in Washington, D.C. to issue an arrest warrant for her. Joseph Hutchinson, another co-defendant, is also being pursued by federal agents. The court has scheduled several hearings for Hutchinson, but they have been repeatedly postponed due to law enforcement’s ongoing efforts to locate him. Hutchinson stands accused of confronting the police and throwing punches at officers during the Capitol attack. Olivia Pollock and Hutchinson both pleaded not guilty before absconding. Two other co-defendants of Pollock have been found guilty in their cases. Michael Perkins, aged 39, and Joshua Doolin, aged 25, were convicted of civil disorder, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, as well as disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.
Some Jan. 6 defendants who have failed to appear in court were swiftly recaptured. For instance, Marc Bru, who resides in Vancouver, Washington, skipped a hearing on June 30 but continued posting social media updates that discussed his case and the federal search for him. Authorities eventually located him in Montana, nearly a month later. During their investigation, it came to light that Bru had shared tweets asserting his defiance, stating, “I’m drawing a f*** line in the sand” and “I’d rather die than submit to f*** tyrants.” Bru has been charged with obstruction and entering a restricted building, two months after the January 6th attack. Before going on the run, he had chosen to represent himself in his case. Defendants who evade court appearances and flee from law enforcement face the risk of facing more severe or additional charges. Lucius Outlaw, a former federal defender and associate law professor at Howard University, emphasized that once captured, Jan. 6 defendants may face heightened penalties. Outlaw commented, “If you’re going to run, you can get hit with additional charges on top of the charges you’re already facing. If you’re convicted, the judge is certainly going to take into account that you did not appear in court when you were supposed to and had to be called into court by the U.S. Marshals.”
The investigation into the U.S. Capitol siege has resulted in the arrests of nearly 1,100 individuals, with hundreds more expected to face arrest. The FBI is committed to utilizing all of its investigative resources and collaborating closely with other agencies in order to ensure justice is served.
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