PHOENIX — Jacob Chansley, one of the most visible people to breach the nation’s Capitol building earlier this year, agreed to a deal for him to plead guilty to charges stemming from the Jan. 6 insurrection.
The Phoenix man known as 'QAnon Shaman,' appeared for the plea agreement hearing on Sept. 3 before Judge Royce C. Lamberth.
During the hearing, the judge determined Chansley is competent. Chansley said he understood the plea and the right to trial. The charge read was obstruction by disrupting Congress. According to the judge, the max sentence would be 20 years in prison.
The judge accepted the guilty plea and will set a date for sentencing. The date for the next hearing will be Nov. 17.
Albert Watkins, the defendant's lawyer, asked for patience as the criminal case continues to unfold and insisted his client was on a path toward rehabilitation.
"The path charted by Mr. Chansley since January 6 has been a process, one which has involved pain, depression, solitary confinement, introspection, recognition of mental health vulnerabilities, and a coming to grips with the need for more self-work," Watkins wrote in a statement on Thursday.
Chansley was indicted for six charges including a felony with a maximum sentence of 20 years.
This is a developing story and we will update the article as soon as more information becomes available.
In previous coverage, it was reported that Chansley is currently in custody at the FCI Englewood, a federal corrections facility located in Colorado.
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