Man Who Kidnapped Two Federal Scientists Had Prior Case Dismissed in 2022
A man now facing federal kidnapping charges in California had a previous hate crime case dismissed in Washington state after mental health officials failed to get him into a psychiatric facility for court-ordered treatment, a dismissal that has drawn renewed scrutiny following his arrest last week.
Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, were charged Friday with kidnapping two U.S. Forest Service biologists at gunpoint near Gumboot Lake Campground in California's Shasta-Trinity National Forest. According to court documents, Joseph approached the two women while carrying an AR-15-style rifle, zip-tied their hands and held them in a nearby trailer for 15 hours before surrendering to law enforcement following a standoff involving local, state and federal agencies, including the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team.
A Case That Was Dismissed, Not Resolved
Court records show this isn't Henrichsen's first brush with the legal system tied to alleged threatening behavior. In March 2022, he was charged in Whatcom County, Washington, with a hate crime, malicious harassment and felony harassment after allegedly throwing fireworks at a property owned by landlords of Russian and Ukrainian descent and leaving a note referencing Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
That case never reached trial. A court-ordered psychological evaluation found Henrichsen was likely not competent to stand trial, and in April 2022, a judge ordered him admitted to a state psychiatric hospital within 14 days for 45 days of inpatient restoration treatment intended to make him competent enough to face the charges.
The transfer never happened. Washington's Department of Social and Health Services missed the court-ordered deadline, and in May 2022, a judge held the department in contempt, fining it $200 a day until Henrichsen was admitted. The placement still didn't occur. After 132 days in jail without receiving the ordered treatment, a judge dismissed the case in August 2022 without prejudice, meaning prosecutors could refile if Henrichsen ever regained competency. Whatcom County prosecutors had opposed the dismissal at the time, arguing Henrichsen posed a real danger to his neighbors and community.
What Led to Last Week's Kidnapping
Federal prosecutors say Joseph Henrichsen used one of the victims' phones during last week's kidnapping to make a call in which he stated he had "taken two fed [employees] hostage from the Forest Service," according to court documents filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California. He also said one victim was "zip-tied" and that he had "live rounds ready" for anyone who interfered.
Phoenix Henrichsen is accused of aiding and abetting the kidnapping by keeping watch of the trailer while his father was away from the scene. Both men appeared in federal court in Sacramento and face charges of kidnapping a federal employee, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine if they're convicted.
A Broader Pattern Raising Questions
The years-long gap between Henrichsen's 2022 dismissal and last week's alleged kidnapping has drawn attention to gaps in how state mental health systems handle court-ordered competency restoration treatment, particularly when facilities lack available beds. Legal experts and mental health advocates have long flagged delays like the one in Henrichsen's case as a recurring failure point in the criminal justice system's handling of defendants found incompetent to stand trial.
It remains unclear whether Henrichsen received any mental health treatment or intervention between the 2022 dismissal and last week's arrest. It's also not clear whether the Henrichsens currently have legal counsel for the new federal charges.
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