A father and son accused of abducting two biologists working for the U.S. Forest Service in a remote part of Northern California last week are in FBI custody in Sacramento and will be charged with kidnapping federal employees, as well as aiding and abetting, court documents show.
The two biologists, both women, said Joseph Henrichsen, 49, approached them on the morning of July 16 carrying an AR-15-style firearm as they were doing field work near Gumboot Lake Campground in Siskiyou County, FBI investigator Russell Quiniola said in an affidavit filed in Sacramento federal court.
The affidavit, based on interviews with the victims after they were released Friday morning, offers a harrowing account of their ordeal.
The two biologists were studying frog habitats in Northern California when Joseph Henrichsen appeared, brandishing the weapon and ordering them to turn around and put their hands in the air, Quiniola’s affidavit says. Henrichsen then used zip ties to bind their hands behind their backs and ordered them to walk to a white camping trailer, a Feather Ultralight by Jayco, with towels hanging from a clothesline and milk crates and a yellow plastic lawn chair outside.
As they approached the trailer, later identified as the place where Joseph Charles Henrichsen and his son, Phoenix Jose Phillup Henrichsen, had been living, the hostages saw the younger Henrichsen approaching, the affidavit says.
Joseph Henrichsen ordered Phoenix, 23, to clear a space in the trailer for the two biologists, who are not named but are identified with female pronouns in court documents.
The RV used by Joseph Henrichsen and Phoenix Henrichsen is pictured following their arrests on suspicion of kidnapping two U.S. Forest Service workers near Gumboot Lake in Siskiyou County. Court documents say the father and son are in FBI custody and are expected to face federal charges of kidnapping federal employees and aiding and abetting after investigators said they abducted two biologists and held them hostage before surrendering Friday, July 17, 2026. U.S. Attorney’s Office
Phoenix complied and later guarded the biologists at Joseph Henrichsen’s command, the affidavit says. His father then ordered one of the biologists out of the trailer and into the Forest Service vehicle the two scientists had been using. Still carrying the rifle, he began driving her around. He took her phone and made numerous calls, including to a Forest Service employee whom he knew, the affidavit says.
“I’ve taken two fed biologists hostage from the Forest Service,” he said in a voice message to the employee, the affidavit says. “I’m driving in the ranger vehicle right now. Say hi to (Victim 1).”
The woman’s voice can be heard in the background, the affidavit says, before Henrichsen continued:
“(Victim 1) is ziptied, her hands are behind her f—— back, and I’ve got live rounds ready to f——- (inaudible) anyone who f—- with me,” he said, according to the affidavit.
Henrichsen, who authorities say is also known as Charles Perry, demanded to speak with an investigator from the FBI, adding, “And we can talk things through a little bit.”
He then returned the biologist to the camper and ordered her colleague into the Nissan, where he kept her for three hours, the affidavit says.
He made calls to numerous law enforcement agencies, which soon began gathering around the trailer, according to the affidavit. Officers from the FBI, Forest Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies took positions in the woods, the affidavit says.
They ordered Joseph Henrichsen to release the hostages and surrender, but he refused, the affidavit says. Then, at about 8:20 p.m., he told law enforcement officers he had a grenade.
Finally, after prolonged negotiations, Joseph Henrichsen released the biologists at about 1 a.m. Friday. Ninety minutes later, Phoenix Henrichsen came out of the trailer and surrendered. His father followed five minutes later, the affidavit says.
The two biologists were shaken by the ordeal but were safe and at home, authorities said Friday.
The Henrichsens are scheduled to appear in Sacramento federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison Claire at 2 p.m. Monday.
This story was originally published July 20, 2026 at 10:56 AM.
Related Stories from Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee
Sharon Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Sacramento Bee. She has reported and edited for news organizations across California, including the Los Angeles Times, Reuters and Cityside Journalism Initiative. She grew up in Dallas and earned her master’s degree in journalism from UC Berkeley. She has served on teams that have won three Pulitzer prizes.