Chris Lange, FISM News
A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced Jacob Chansley to 41 months in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. The 34-year-old, dubbed the “QAnon Shaman” for his horned headdress and “Q sent me” sign, pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding when he and thousands of others illegally entered the U.S. Capitol to protest the 2020 presidential election results.
According to Reuters, Chansley told U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth he was “truly repentant” for his role in the riot, adding that he is “a good man who broke the law.” Lamberth said he believes the defendant is “on the right track,” but that the stiff sentence was warranted based on the seriousness of the crime. After serving out his sentence, Chansley will be placed under supervised release and is ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.
Chansley, who appeared in court wearing a dark green jumpsuit with his head shaved and a full beard, has been detained since his Jan. 9 arrest. His attorney requested that the judge credit his client for time served.
The Department of Justice accused Chansley of entering the Capitol building at 2:14 p.m. and making his way to the Senate floor, where he took photos at the dais. He allegedly yelled “Mike Pence is a f—— traitor,” and penned a note with the words: “It’s Only A Matter of Time. Justice Is Coming!”
The ruling marks one of the two highest sentences handed down thus far in prosecutions stemming from the riot, of which there are approximately 675 cases. Last week, Lamberth sentenced another protester to 41 months for punching a police officer in the face. The majority of the guilty pleas in the Jan. 6 prosecutions have been for non-violent misdemeanors. Federal prosecutors are seeking prison sentences for defendants charged with more serious felonies.
Chansley spoke at length prior to his sentencing, accepting responsibility for his actions and describing the toll the past 10 months of imprisonment have taken on him as he awaited news of his fate. At one point, he said he feared he would be sentenced to “20 years [of] solitary confinement.”
“The hardest part of this is that I know I am to blame,” he said. “This trauma has done something to me … I have the white hairs to prove it … on my chest … on my arms… I should not have white hairs, your honor.”
During his detainment, prison officials diagnosed Chansley with transient schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety.
Chansley also expressed disappointment that former president Trump had not pardoned him while still in office. Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives and acquitted by the Senate on a charge of inciting the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol by encouraging his supporters to “fight like hell” against Biden’s certification as the 46th President of the United States. Trump and many of his allies, including personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, accused Democrats of “rigging” the election.
The DOJ continues its investigation into the riot, which Democratic lawmakers say was a coordinated effort between former President Donald Trump and protesters, though little evidence has been gathered to support the assertion thus far.