'QAnon Shaman' Jacob Chansley sentenced to more than 3 years in prison for 'horrific' role in Capitol riot


"QAnon Shaman" Jacob Chansley has been sentenced to over three years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
A judge on Wednesday sentenced Chansley, who prosecutors described as the "public face of the Capitol riot," to 41 months in prison and three years of probation after his release, CBS News reports. Chansley, who was seen wearing horns and fur during the riot, pleaded guilty to obstructing Congress during the certification of President Biden's election win.
"What you did here was horrific, as you can now see," District Judge Royce Lamberth said during the sentencing hearing, per CBS News.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Prosecutors asked for a sentence of 51 months for Chansley, who they said was "among the first 30 rioters to penetrate the U.S. Capitol building" on Jan. 6 and "stalked the hallowed halls of the building, riling up other members of the mob with his screaming obscenities about our nation's lawmakers, and flouting the 'opportunity' to rid our government of those he has long considered to be traitors." Prosecutors also said Chansley left a note for then-Vice President Mike Pence that read, "It's only a matter of time, justice is coming."
During the hearing, Chansley expressed regret for his actions, saying "the hardest part about this is to know that I'm to blame," per CNN. "To have to look in the mirror and know, you really messed up. Royally." He spoke out earlier this year, telling CBS News the fact that then-President Donald Trump never pardoned him "wounded me so deeply" and "disappointed me so greatly."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Why Turkey's Kurdish insurgents are laying down their arms
Under the Radar The PKK said its aims can now be 'resolved through democratic politics'
-
Book reviews: 'Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves' and 'Notes to John'
Feature The aughts' toxic pop culture and Joan Didion's most private pages
-
The FDA plans to embrace AI agencywide
In the Spotlight Rumors are swirling about a bespoke AI chatbot being developed for the FDA by OpenAI
-
Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel
speed read Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier, was the final living US citizen held by the militant group
-
White Afrikaners land in US as Trump-declared refugees
speed read An exception was made to Trump's near-total ban on admitting refugees for the white South Africans
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
speed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Trump, UK's Starmer outline first post-tariff deal
speed read President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer struck a 'historic' agreement to eliminate some of the former's imposed tariffs
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs
-
Denmark to grill US envoy on Greenland spying report
speed read The Trump administration ramped up spying on Greenland, says reporting by The Wall Street Journal
-
Supreme Court allows transgender troop ban
speed read The US Supreme Court will let the Trump administration begin executing its ban on transgender military service members