‘Horn-wearing’ Capitol protester looking at jail time, possible fine after pleading guilty to felony

Jacob Chansley gained national attention earlier this year for his role in the Jan. 6 riot on Capitol Hill, with media outlets dubbing him the “QAnon shaman” in part for his unorthodox outfit that included what appeared to be fur-covered horns.

According to the Washington Examiner, Chansley is now facing years in prison after pleading guilty last week to a felony charge related to the January unrest.

Chansley, who has been kept behind bars since he was taken into custody on Jan. 9, admitted Friday in a Washington, D.C. federal courtroom that he had engaged in obstruction of an official proceeding, the Examiner reported.

Up to $150K in fines

A letter sent to Chansley’s lawyer, Albert Watkins, from Acting United States Attorney Channing D. Phillips on July 15 explained that by pleading guilty, the defendant could avoid additional charges that could have led to as many as 20 years in prison.

“In consideration of your client’s guilty plea to the above offense(s), you client will not be further prosecuted criminally by this Office for the conduct set forward in the attached Statement of Offence,” Phillips wrote.

For his part, Watkins told the Washington Examiner that Chansley was struggling with his mental health and had no ill intent. “He had no plan,” the lawyer said in a statement.

“He was the tattooed-nipple, horn-wearing guy who was allowing people to take selfies with him while he screamed freedom and strolled down Pennsylvania Avenue,” Watkins added.

Under the terms of his plea deal, Chansley could be sentenced to between 41 and 51 months in prison, the Examiner reports. He could also be ordered to pay a fine of up to $150,000.

“Two black eyes”

The Examiner noted that Chansley is one of more than 500 who have been charged by federal authorities over the riot. Some have since complained that they have been held in solitary confinement for months on end, or subjected to violence behind bars.

Among them is Ryan Samsel. Fox News reported in April that his lawyer told a judge that a beating from D.C. jail guards inflicted “a skull fracture and detached retina” that left Samsel blind in one eye.

“I have seen Ryan,” Samsel’s attorney was quoted as telling The Washington Post. “He has two black eyes to this day, two weeks later. All the skin is ripped off both wrists, which shows the zip ties and how tight they were. Other inmates said his face looked like a tomato that was stomped on.”

The lawyer reportedly added: “We intend on filing a lawsuit against the two specific guards and the facility responsible for this scenario because Ryan Samsel did not deserve to get targeted and treated like this.”

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