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'QAnon Shaman' to plead guilty in Capitol riot case

The horned man who stormed the Capitol, wants to drop the "Q" from his moniker

Published: September 3, 2021 7:54am

Updated: September 3, 2021 8:38am

The man who donned a horned helmet, painted face, and bare-chest when he breached the U.S. Capitol building Jan. 6 will plead guilty Friday in federal court to charges related to his participation in the riot.

The "QAnon Shaman," whose real name is Jacob Chansley, 34, was charged with a six-count indictment including civil disorder, violent entry and a felony count for obstruction of an official proceeding. It is unclear to which charges Chansley is pleading guilty.

"Mr. Chansley, a long avowed and practicing Shaman, has repudiated the 'Q' previously assigned to him and requests future references to him be devoid of use of the letter 'Q'," reads a statement from Chansley's lawyer. Evidently, his client no longer wishes to be associated with the QAnon conspiracy theory

The day after the Capitol breach, Chansley voluntarily called the FBI and admitted to being the man in the instantly viral photos. He told law enforcement officials that he traveled to D.C. from Arizona with other "patriots."

Albert Watkins, Chansley's attorney, has maintained that his client was "non-violent, peaceful and possessed of genuine mental health issues."

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