July 18, 2026

Federal Employees Held Captive for Over 17 Hours in Northern California, Officials Report

Two U.S. Forest Service employees working in a remote area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest were kidnapped, zip-tied and held inside a trailer for more than 17 hours before being rescued Friday morning, authorities said.

A pair of Forest Service workers found themselves victims of an extended kidnapping while stationed in a remote section of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, law enforcement officials confirmed Friday. The employees had been forcibly confined inside a trailer and secured with restraints for approximately 17 hours before federal agents located and freed them.

The incident occurred in a sparsely populated area of the national forest in Northern California. The exact circumstances surrounding the initial abduction remain under investigation by federal authorities.

Rescue operations concluded successfully Friday morning, resulting in the workers’ safe recovery. Investigators have not yet publicly disclosed details regarding potential suspects or motivations connected to the crime.

The Forest Service has not released the workers’ identities. Federal agencies are continuing their probe into the circumstances of the kidnapping.