A Capitol rioter who fled the United States rather than serve his time has decided to return and face the music.
Wisconsin's Paul Kovacik denied a court order to report to jail and fled the US to Ireland. Kovacik went so far as to seek asylum in Ireland, but after feeling homesick turned himself in. It seems the DOJ likely knew he was in Ireland and just didn't care, so long as he wasn't in our country.
The court issued a warrant for Kovacik's arrest after he flew to Dublin, Ireland, through Germany on the day that he was supposed to report to prison in Chicago.
Kovacik called himself a "political prisoner" when investigators questioned him after his arrest last month at an arrival gate at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, according to the deputy's affidavit.
Inside his luggage, authorities found documents related to his asylum request, which cited a fear of political persecution, the deputy wrote. The affidavit doesn't say whether the Irish government acted on Kovacik's request.
An attorney who represented Kovacik in his Capitol riot case declined to comment on the new charge.
More than 1,400 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack. Several other Capitol riot defendants have become fugitives at different stages of their prosecutions.
AP
Previously:
• 'Remorseless' MAGA insurrectionist who violently beat cops on J6 sentenced to nearly five years in prison
• Add vehicular manslaughter and DUI to this Jan 6th insurrectionists rap sheet
• Seeking love, Capitol insurrectionist arrested
• Judge criticizes Capitol insurrectionist's use of trial to raise funds for anti-vax activism
• January 6th insurrectionist turned in by girlfriend gets a 9-month sentence
