A Wisconsin man fled to Ireland and sought asylum to avoid a prison sentence for joining a mob’s attack on the U.S. Capitol over three years ago, federal authorities allege in a court filing Tuesday.

The filing charges Paul Kovacik with defying a court order to surrender and serve three months behind bars for participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol.

Kovacik, 56, was arrested last month after he voluntarily returned to the U.S. from Ireland. Kovacik is serving his sentence at a federal prison in Chicago and is scheduled to be released from prison on Sept. 8. But a conviction on the new misdemeanor charge could lead to more time behind bars.

Kovacik told authorities that he decided to withdraw his asylum claim and return to the U.S. because he felt homesick, according to a U.S. Marshals Service deputy’s affidavit.

The FBI initially arrested Kovacik in June 2022. A year later, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton sentenced Kovacik after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: Crowds gather outside the U.S. Capitol for the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 06, 2021 in Washington, DC. Trump supporters gathered in the nation’s capital today to protest the ratification

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Kovacik took videos of rioters’ damage as he moved through the Capitol on Jan. 6. He later uploaded his footage onto his YouTube channel, with titles such as “Treason Against the United States is about to be committed,” according to prosecutors. They said Kovacik’s criminal record included 24 prior convictions.

Walton initially ordered Kovacik to report to prison on Aug. 22, 2023, but the judge agreed to extend that deadline to Nov. 1, 2023, after Kovacik requested more time for his seasonal employment at a theme park in Georgia.

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.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 06: Protesters gather on the second day of pro-Trump events fueled by President Donald Trump’s continued claims of election fraud in an to overturn the results before Congress finalizes them in a joint session of the 117th Co

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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.

Bloomfield Township — Charlie Woods’ round was long, and his exit was fast.

Woods, the 15-year-old son of Tiger Woods, struggled again Tuesday at Oakland Hills Country Club and missed the cut by a wide margin in his biggest tournament to date, the U.S. Junior Amateur.

Woods made two double-bogeys and a triple-bogey on his opening nine holes on the historic South Course, and posted a second-round 80 to finish the stroke-play portion of the United States Golf Association championship at 22 over par. He beat just 17 players in the 264-player field. Playing in front of the largest galleries on the course over his two days, including his famous father, who walked every step of the way over 36 holes, Woods missed the cut by 14 strokes. Tuesday’s round lasted more than 6 hours, because of a lengthy thunderstorm delay.

Following his round, Charlie Woods signed his scorecard and took photos with his playing partners, before jumping on the back of a waiting security cart, with Tiger Woods seated in the front. The cart, surrounding by more than a half-dozen police officers, peeled away and whisked the duo to their waiting SUV, which departed the parking lot within moments. Neither signed autographs nor spoke to the media, though they brought a lot of buzz to the tournament.

The tournament now moves into the match-play portion, starting Wednesday — though there’s work to do first. There will be a playoff in the morning, with 13 players competing for the final nine spots in the 64-player bracket. One of those players at 4 over par is Ann Arbor Skyline golfer Ieaun Jones.

Jones, 18, shot consecutive 72s, including Tuesday’s on the North Course, where he struck the well, but struggled on the greens. Jones missed a short birdie putt on No. 7, his 16th hole, but made a long one on No. 8, his 17th hole, to get inside the cut line for the playoff. The birdie on No. 8 snapped a string of nine consecutive pars.

“It was pretty frustrating, to be honest,” Jones said. “I had a lot of looks. I was hitting the ball great today. There’s not much you can do on the greens other than make the best strokes.

“I can definitely compete with the best. I hit it so good. And I was able to putt really poorly and still have a chance to make it tomorrow.

“We’ll see what happens.”

Making match play is most players’ goals entering the U.S. Junior Amateur, because from there, anything can happen.

The bracket will be finalized at the conclusion of the playoff, with the first round of match play set for Wednesday, two rounds Thursday, the quarterfinals and semifinals Friday, and the 36-hole championship match Saturday. The South Course will be used exclusively from here on out.

Jones is one of three Michigan men in the field, and the only one who can make mach play.

Lake Orion’s Connor Fox, 17, who go in by winning the Michigan Junior Amateur, finished 18 over par after a second-round 83 on the North Course that included a quadruple-bogey 9 on his second nine. With a dozen or more family members and friends watching, Fox didn’t play nearly as well as he wanted, but the Michigan State commitment learned a lot about what it takes to compete on his stage.

He also gets the memory of hitting the tournament’s first tee shot, Monday morning.

“I’ll remember that forever. I’ll never forget,” Fox said. “I’ve got four different angles of the video saved on my phone.”

Coldwater’s Ryker Ferguson, 18, who got into this week’s tournament as an alternate out of the qualifier at the Country Club of Lansing when another participant had to pull out because of the global travel issues, finished 30 over after a second-round 81 on the North Course.

To start the week, there were seven players in the field who were ranked in the top 120 of the world golf amateur rankings, and six of them advanced to match play.

That includes medalist Blades Brown (No. 103), a 16-year-old from Tennessee who was 6 under in stroke play, shooting a 2-under 68 on the South Course on Tuesday. Runner-up was Tyler Watts (No. 119), a 15-year-old from Alabama, who was at 5 under after a par-70 on the South. Also making the cut was 15-year-old Florida phenom Miles Russell (No. 116), the little left-hander who competed in last month’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, the PGA Tour stop in Detroit. Russell was 1 under after a 1-over 71 on the South Course, where he began his round with four birdies in his first five holes.

Not ranked is Mack Edwards, who tied for third in stroke play at 4 under, after a 70 on the North Course on Tuesday. The North Carolina 17-year-old, who opened Tuesday’s round with a bogey and double-bogey before righting the ship, might’ve surprised everyone but himself.

“Look, sure, I haven’t had the resume of Blades Brown and Tyler Watts, but hopefully this is the start of something good,” said Edwards, who walked off his final hole Tuesday afternoon with a big fist-pump after making a 5-footer for par. “I feel like I’ve played some pretty solid golf in the recent months, and it’s feeling good now. And if I can go out and play like this on these golf courses, it’s definitely a confidence boost.”

Edwards tied for third at 4 under with New Zealand’s Joshua Bai, 18, who was last year’s runner-up.

Also at 4 under was Lev Grinberg, a 16-year-old who was born in Ukraine, and Chase Kyes, an 18-year-old from Alabama who made the Sweet 16 in last year’s U.S. Amateur, before losing to eventual champion Bryan Kim.

The 2023 experience or Kyes certainly helped prepare him for the pressure cooker that is major-championship golf, but it probably still didn’t prepare him for what he’s experienced this week. He made match play while playing his stroke-play rounds with Charlie Woods, and in front of Tiger Woods and a big, old gallery.

“I’ve never played in front of a crowd like that before,” said Kyes, whose dad, Ryan, was Mr. Baseball in Michigan in 1997, posing a .551 career batting average at Detroit Country Day. “But it was a great experience. Good for my future.”

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984

MILWAUKEE – Frustrated and fed up, protests continue for D’Vontaye Mitchell more than three weeks after he died following an altercation with hotel security at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee.

Mitchell’s family said they also want transparency, and they are urging the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office to move forward with pressing charges, as well as to release all footage of the fatal incident at the Hyatt to the public.

Three weeks after his death, Mitchell’s mother, Brenda Giles, is on what she’s calling an uphill battle for justice.

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“We won’t get no rest until they are arrested,” Giles said. “That’s how I feel. No justice, no peace. So maybe once I get justice then I can get some peace.”

Mitchell died on June 30 outside the downtown hotel. Graphic video shows the 43-year-old father of two being held down by four now-former Hyatt employees. Two of them were security officers.

It occurred after witnesses say he locked himself in the women’s bathroom.

Several family members say surveillance video from inside shows he was in fear of his life.

The DA’s office is now reviewing felony murder charges referred by the Milwaukee Police Department for four people. Outside the DA’s office, Mitchell’s family is protesting once again, hoping their voices will be heard.

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“I don’t care how hot it is, we gone keep coming out here,” his sister, Nayisha Mitchell, said. “We gonna keep protesting, we gonna keep on doing our chants until we get some results here.”

Results they want in the form of charges for everyone involved, and videos released publicly of Mitchell’s fatal encounter with staff at the hotel. 

“I need some closure,” GIles said.

From outside the DA’s house to the Hyatt, Mitchell’s family and supporters said they won’t stop applying pressure.

“I’m pushing and urging for the DA to do the right thing, to make some charges, make sure you pursue the right charges,” cousin Latrisa Giles said. “Don’t just give the lower level charges to be doing something.”

A GoFundMe has been set up to support Mitchell’s family.

The DA’s office previously told FOX6 News it is waiting on results from Mitchell’s autopsy to make a charging decision.