An Indiana man who joined the January 6 Capitol riots with his mother was recently arrested in Canada after skipping his prison sentence. Antony Vo, 32, was caught in Whistler, British Columbia, on January 6, 2025, the anniversary of the Capitol attack. He was on a snowboarding trip when border agents tracked him down. Vo had failed to report to prison and was trying to apply for asylum in Canada.
Vo, a former resident of Bloomington, Indiana, had been sentenced to nine months in federal prison for his role in the Capitol riot. His charges included entering a restricted area, causing disruption, and participating in demonstrations inside the Capitol building. Instead of serving his time, Vo fled the United States, claiming he was unfairly convicted.
Canadian officials confirmed his arrest, stating that Vo was detained for breaking the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. A spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said they are legally obligated to remove anyone who is inadmissible to Canada and has a removal order.
Back in August, U.S. authorities had launched a search for Vo when he failed to show up at the federal correctional facility in Terre Haute, Indiana. Suspicion arose that he might be in Canada, but officials couldn’t confirm his location. In December, Vo himself admitted to a media outlet that he was in Canada, claiming he was standing up for his rights and refusing to go to prison.
Vo was living with his mother in Canada before his arrest. She is also facing federal charges for her involvement in the January 6 riots. Before his capture, Vo spoke with a Canadian newspaper while in Whistler, saying he crossed into Canada through either North Dakota or Montana. However, Canadian officials found no record of him entering the country legally.
Vo tried to seek asylum in Canada, describing his conviction as part of a political conspiracy. He believed former President Trump would pardon him and other Capitol rioters if Trump returned to office. In interviews, Vo expressed confidence in a future pardon, saying, “I really don’t have any reason to doubt it.”
Reflecting on his actions on January 6, Vo claimed he thought the Capitol police were letting demonstrators in on purpose. “I really thought the police were stepping aside to let us exercise our rights,” he said. “I thought it was totally permitted.”
While Vo waits to see what happens next, his mother’s case remains unresolved. Meanwhile, Canadian authorities are working to deport Vo back to the United States.
