The first person to plead guilty to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack is scheduled to receive a recommended 3-year probation Friday.
Some recognized Jon Schaffer, 56, in photos as the lead member of the heavy metal band “Iced Earth.”
Schaffer also identified at the Capitol as a member of the Oath Keepers, which the Southern Poverty Law Center labels a far-right, anti-government militia. He also marched with Oath Keepers in Washington, D.C. in 2020 to oppose election results, according to court documents.
Related: Six elected officials in Indiana registered as Oath Keepers
The sentencing recommendation says Schaffer “was one of the first six people to breach the Capitol through the doors on the northwest side of the building near the Senate Parliamentarian’s office.”
He was inside the Capitol building for less than 10 minutes and didn’t harm officers.
Schaffer turned himself in 11 days after the attack. He was charged with entering the Capitol grounds and doing so with a dangerous weapon — in his case, bear mace.
He pled guilty to both charges on April 16, 2021. He was detained for three months.
The memorandum says that Schaffer was generally cooperative and truthful in helping to find additional suspects, which lessened his recommended sentence.
In addition to probation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recommends 120 hours of community service and $2,000 in restitution on top of a mandatory $200 special assessment.
