Federal prosecutors have charged a father and son with kidnapping two U.S. Forest Service employees during a 15-hour standoff in Northern California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The incident occurred on July 16 near the Gumboot Lake Campground in Siskiyou County, close to the Oregon border.

Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, allegedly abducted the employees at gunpoint while they were conducting fieldwork, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California. The two employees were restrained and held in a trailer located in rugged, remote terrain for approximately 15 hours before law enforcement secured their release.

During the standoff, Joseph Henrichsen reportedly used one of the victims’ phones to make a call stating that he had taken two Forest Service employees hostage and that one victim was restrained with their hands tied behind their back. Prosecutors said he also threatened that he had live ammunition ready to use against anyone who interfered.

The call prompted a multi-agency response involving local, state, and federal law enforcement, including negotiators from the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team. Negotiations began around 4:20 p.m. on July 16, and the hostages were released in the early hours of July 17, with the first released shortly after 1:30 a.m. and the second about 15 minutes later. The suspects surrendered without incident at approximately 2:30 a.m.

Authorities confirmed that the hostages were unharmed. At a July 17 news conference, FBI Special Agent Brian Tosh detailed that Joseph Henrichsen was heavily armed with an AR-15-style rifle, knives, and had claimed to possess grenades, though officials had not verified whether any explosives were recovered. No shots were fired during the standoff.

The incident led to temporary closures and restrictions around the Gumboot Lake area as officials secured the scene. Forest Service representatives urged the public to avoid the area throughout the law enforcement operation.

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest covers more than 2 million acres of often difficult-to-access terrain, making the response and resolution notably challenging. Federal authorities have not disclosed a motive for the kidnapping or provided further details about the interaction between the suspects and the Forest Service employees, who have not been publicly identified. Investigations into the case remain ongoing.