A man from Indiana has been sentenced to nine months in federal prison for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and has recently been apprehended at a ski resort in Whistler, B.C., just over a month after seeking political asylum in Canada.
According to a statement from the Canada Border Services Agency, 32-year-old Antony Vo was arrested on Jan. 6 without any issues. Vo had received a
nine-month prison sentence from a U.S. judge after being convicted of trespassing in the U.S. Capitol along with his mother during the riots, but he absconded to Canada instead of reporting to serve his sentence.
Vo’s application for refugee status was filed with the Canadian government on Dec. 2, 2024, according to
documents he shared on social media on Dec. 4. In his
claim, he characterized the events of Jan. 6 as a “peaceful protest” and asserted that demonstrators had been oppressed due to their political views.
Vo’s attorney, Damilola Asuni, indicated that the government document shared by Vo on social media “seems authentic” after a review against the official record.
Vo was
found guilty in September 2023 of four misdemeanors, including entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly conduct within a restricted area, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and engaging in parade, demonstration, or picketing in a Capitol building.
Defense attorneys argued against incarceration, stating that Vo was never charged with violence and departed the Capitol roughly half an hour after his entry. Prosecutors, however, recommended an 11-month sentence, claiming that Vo exhibited a lack of remorse, as reflected by some of his statements, including a social media post where he referred to himself as a “J6 wrongful convict.”
Prior to his sentencing, Vo expressed regret, saying he was “sorry for everything” and acknowledged that he should not have entered the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Donald Trump, the U.S. President-elect, has referred to those jailed for their involvement in Jan. 6 as “hostages, not prisoners.” In March 2024, he
stated that one of his first actions as president, should he win the election, would be to “free the January 6 hostages being wrongfully imprisoned!”
Zachary Stieber and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
