Law enforcement officials are looking for the accused US Capitol rioters who failed to report to prison earlier this summer to begin serving a nine-month sentence and did not show up for weeks.
Multiple sources told CBS News there are active efforts to locate Antony Vo from Indiana, who was sentenced in April and is expected to report to a federal correctional facility in Terre Haute, Indiana, in early summer.
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One law enforcement source said investigators are ​​​​looking into the possibility Vo is in Canada.
Vo has reviewed additions and reprimands from judges and prosecutors in criminal cases, after allegedly violating the conditions of pretrial release, referring to the court system as “kangaroo court”, criticizing judges and posting conspiracy theories about January 6, 2021, on his social media account.
A federal jury convicted Vo of four criminal charges in September 2023, including disorderly conduct. Prosecutors argue Vo was in the middle crowd in the Capitol about 27 minutes in, taking pictures and shouting “Freedom!” while moving through the Capitol Complex.
At a court hearing in April, prosecutors argued Vo had shown a pattern of defiance of the court system. Vo is accused of violating the conditions of his pretrial release by attending a protest outside the Washington, DC, jail in support of the January 6 rioters. A judge placed a curfew on Vo during the case, for violating a court order, according to a Justice Department filing. Vo also blistered the judge and the court with criticism on his social media account, referring to the criminal process as “kangaroo court.”
In a court filing in April, the prosecutor said, “Vo’s complete lack of remorse for his actions on January 6 should also animate the Court’s decision on his sentence. Within minutes of leaving the Capitol building on January 6, Vo used text messages and social media. to bragging about intimidation police officersstopped the counting of votes, and stormed the building. His lack of contrition continued after the trial when he repeatedly used social media to deny his guilt, where he called himself ‘J6 guilty convict.'”
At Vo’s sentencing hearing in April, Judge Tanya Chutkan criticized Vo for his attitude and behavior during the trial. Chutkan said he was concerned to see Vo smile at the defense table as police officers testified “powerfully” about the impact of the riot. As he sentenced Vo to nine months in prison, Chutkan said, “I don’t believe Mr. Vo thinks the law applies to him.”
Two weeks after his sentencing, Vo posted a complaint on social media about the court’s handling of the criminal case, saying he had been “coached” by the justice system.
Vo, like most defendants on January 6, was allowed to remain free from custody between the sentencing hearing and the start of his prison term, a period of time that usually lasts several weeks.
Vo’s defense attorney declined a request for comment. The Justice Department also declined to comment. The FBI office in Indianapolis referred CBS News to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, which declined to comment.
Vo was 31 when he was sentenced last year. His mother was also charged as part of the Capitol offense. He has a court appearance scheduled for next month.
Some of the other January 6 defendants have been fugitives for the 43 months since the prosecution of the US Capitol riots. Three from Lakeland, Florida, were missing for months, before being picked up in Florida earlier this year.
Florida’s alleged members of Proud Man, Christopher Worrellbecame a fugitive after failing to appear for a sentencing hearing. He was arrested the following week when he tried to return home secretly.
Robert Legare contributed to this report.
Scott MacFarlane
