A father and son from Northern California are now facing federal kidnapping charges after allegedly abducting two U.S. Forest Service employees at gunpoint and holding them hostage for 15 terrifying hours in a remote wilderness area.
Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, were charged by federal prosecutors on July 20 in connection with the incident that unfolded July 16 near Gumboot Lake Campground in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Siskiyou County.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, the two government employees were conducting routine field work when they were seized at gunpoint, bound with zip ties, and taken to a trailer deep in the forest.
During the standoff, Joseph Henrichsen allegedly used one of the victims’ phones to call authorities — warning that he had live rounds ready to shoot anyone who interfered.
The call triggered an immediate large-scale law enforcement response involving local, state, and federal agencies. FBI Hostage Rescue Team negotiators arrived on scene and spent hours attempting to make contact with the suspects.
The first hostage was released just after 1:30 a.m. on July 17. The second followed minutes later. Both suspects surrendered around 2:30 a.m. — ending the standoff without a single shot being fired.
Investigators later revealed that Joseph Henrichsen was heavily armed inside the trailer, possessing an AR-15-style rifle, knives, and what he claimed were grenades. Authorities had not confirmed whether explosive devices were recovered at the scene.
Federal authorities have not yet disclosed a motive. The identities of both victims have not been released.
The Shasta-Trinity National Forest spans over 2 million acres of rugged, remote terrain — conditions that significantly complicated the rescue operation.
If convicted, both suspects face a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.