PHOENIX, AZ — The U.S. Justice Department has recommended that “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley serve four years in prison for his part in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot.
Chansley, who is from Phoenix, doesn’t have a criminal history but the prosecution recommended the multi-year sentence partly because they said Chansley served as the face of the insurrection. During the riot, Chansley donned a furry, horned viking hat and was shirtless, wearing body paint and carrying an American flag. He had a bullhorn in his hand, and is accused of shouting obscenities and threats of violence while inside the capitol building.
Chansley was initially charged with several crimes for his actions on Jan. 6, but because of a plea agreement, he faces sentencing for a single charge of obstructing an official proceeding.
He pleaded guilty to that charge in September.
In addition to four years in prison, the prosecution also recommended Chansley serve three years of supervised release and pay $2,000 in restitution. Prosecutors filed sentencing recommendations late Tuesday evening in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
His sentencing is set for 10 a.m. on Nov. 17.
Prosecutors characterized Chansley as a leader in the insurrection, saying in court documents that he, “used his social media presence to spread the type of false information and hateful rhetoric that led thousands of rioters to descend on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.”
At the time, Chansley had thousands of followers on several social media platforms including Facebook, Parler and YouTube.
On Nov. 19, 2020, Chansley posted on Facebook, “We shall have no real hope to survive the enemies arrayed against us until we hang the traitors lurking among us.”
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The prosecution said that Chansley was among the first 30 people to break into the Capitol building on Jan. 6. He’s then accused of using his bullhorn to “rile up the crowd” and of yelling obscenities within the Senate gallery.
He then climbed the dais and took Vice President Mike Pence’s seat and snapped selfies in Pence’s chair. As he was escorted from the building about an hour after entering, Chansley continued to yell, “Freedom” into his bullhorn, according to court documents.
In an interview with NBC News following the insurrection, Chansley said that he considered the day “a win.” But after his arrest in Phoenix on Jan. 11, Chansley changed his tune and has since denounced the teachings of QAnon. Chansley has been in jail since his arrest.
