Milwaukee Man Charged for Fleeing to Ireland to Dodge Capitol Riot Sentence

CHICAGO, Ill (Civic Media) — A Milwaukee man who fled to Ireland to avoid serving a prison sentence for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot has been charged with defying a court order, federal authorities announced Tuesday.

Paul Kovacik, 56, was arrested last month after voluntarily returning to the United States from Ireland, where he had sought asylum citing fear of political persecution. He is now serving his original three-month sentence in a Chicago federal prison.

Kovacik was initially arrested in June 2022 and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building. U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton sentenced him to three months in prison and three years of probation.

After being granted an extension to complete seasonal work at a Georgia theme park, Kovacik was ordered to report to prison on Nov. 1, 2023. Instead, he fled to Dublin via Germany.

Upon his return in June 2024, Kovacik was arrested at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. He told authorities he felt “homesick” and withdrew his asylum claim in Ireland.

Prosecutors said Kovacik recorded videos of the riot damage and later uploaded them to YouTube. They also noted his criminal record includes 24 prior convictions.

Kovacik now faces an additional misdemeanor charge for defying the court order to surrender, which could extend his time behind bars. His current release date is set for Sept. 8, 2024.