\n Two US Forest Service workers were doing field work in a northern California forest on Thursday morning when they were abducted at gunpoint, zip-tied and led to a remote trailer, authorities said.\n <\/p>\n
\n Using one of the victims\u2019 phones to make a call, a suspect said he had \u201ctaken two fed (employees) hostage from the Forest Service\u201d and he had \u201clive rounds ready,\u201d federal prosecutors said.\n <\/p>\n
\n The call led to a massive local, state and federal law enforcement presence racing up the one-lane road to the campsite, located 2,000 feet up in rough terrain in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, authorities said.\n <\/p>\n
\n It wasn\u2019t until 15 hours later the government workers were released and home safe, and federal prosecutors charged a father and a son with kidnapping.\n <\/p>\n
\n During the negotiations, authorities used drones to identify the trailer and make contact with the father, said Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue. When they did, the father said he wanted to speak with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, warning he had firearms and ammunition, the sheriff said.\n <\/p>\n
\n About four hours later, around 4:20 p.m., federal and local law enforcement were able to begin negotiations, and the standoff continued nearly 10 hours more until the two employees were released 15 minutes apart, authorities said.\n <\/p>\n
\n Less than an hour later, law enforcement was able to \u201csuccessfully communicate\u201d with one of the suspects, which led to the father and son walking out of the trailer together.\n <\/p>\n
\n The suspected kidnappers were identified as Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, the Department of Justice said. They are in custody after being charged with kidnapping federal employees, the agency said.\n <\/p>\n
\n The motive is still unclear and is being investigated, the agency said.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cI\u2019d like to tell you it\u2019s probably the smoothest thing that I\u2019ve seen in many years,\u201d the sheriff said, speaking of the negotiations and surrender.\n <\/p>\n
\n Joseph Henrichsen had an AR-15-style rifle and knives and claimed to have grenades, according to Brian Tosh, FBI acting special agent in charge.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cCrisis situations like this don\u2019t often result in everyone leaving the scene safely. We are very proud of the work everyone did today,\u201d Tosh said.\n <\/p>\n
\n US Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said he was \u201cgrateful beyond words\u201d the workers are home safe.\n <\/p>\n