Two Men Charged in Kidnapping of Forest Service Workers Near Mt. Shasta

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Staff Report –

The bizarre and terrifying hostage situation that unfolded in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest last week resulted in federal charges.

Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, were arrested Monday and charged with kidnapping federal employees, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California published new details of the case, which began when two Forest Service employees were conducting field work on frogs near Gumboot Lake Campground in a remote corner of Siskiyou County southwest of Mt. Shasta. Court documents allege the elder Henrichsen approached the women armed with an AR-15-style rifle, bound their wrists with zip ties, and led them to a trailer where they were held for the next 15 hours.

The response was massive. Siskiyou County deputies used drones to locate the trailer in steep terrain sitting 2,000 feet up a one-lane road, and the FBI flew in a hostage negotiator to assist local law enforcement through an overnight standoff.

Both victims were released unharmed early Friday morning, roughly 15 minutes apart, before the suspects surrendered around 2:30 a.m.

Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz expressed relief that both employees made it home safely and said the agency is prioritizing their wellbeing in the aftermath.

Investigators have not identified a motive.

Reporting from ActiveNorcal.

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