U.S. Government Makes Sentencing Request for Iced Earth’s Jon Schaffer Over January 6 Riot

The U.S. government has made their recommendation on the sentencing of Iced Earth guitarist Jon Schaffer in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Per an Oct. 14 sentencing memorandum obtained by Blabbermouth, the government is requesting three years of supervised probation for the musician as well as financial restitution.

Why the U.S. Government Is Only Seeking Probation

As part of the memorandum, the government states, “Such a sentence would be sufficient to reflect the seriousness of this offense while also accounting for the three months defendant was detained following his arrest, the defendant’s early acceptance of responsibility, and the substantial assistance he has provided to law enforcement pursuant to his cooperation plea agreement.”

In addition to the three years of supervised probation, the government is asking for $2,000 paid in restitution as well as a mandatory $200 special assessment charge.

What Jon Schaffer Did on January 6

On Jan. 6, 2021, Schaffer was among those who stormed the Capitol Building attempting to stop the transfer the power of the presidency from Donald Trump to Joe Biden as the government was set to certify the results of the previous year’s election.

The musician was among those photographed amidst the mob storming the building. Per the memorandum, he was one of the first six people to have breached the Capitol through the doors on the northwest side of the building. Schaffer was spotted wearing a tactical vest and a hat that read “Oath Keepers Lifetime Member.” He was also carrying a can of bear spray.

The memorandum states that Schaffer’s participation was not random and that he had been privy to some of the communications of Oath Keepers leader Elmer Stewart Rhodes III about the march on Washington, D.C. to oppose the election results.

However, the memorandum states that Schaffer was not involved in the planning or coordination of the attack nor was he part of the encrypted chats detailing the operation. He also did not enter the Capitol building with the Oath Keepers despite donning the organization’s hat. Therefore, he was not charged as part of the Oath Keepers conspiracy.

The memorandum also states that Schaffer was inside the Capitol building for under 10 minutes and did not directly inflict harm on any officers or cause any property damage during his entry into the building.

READ MORE: Ex-Iced Earth Vocalist Stu Block Has No Hate for Jon Schaffer

As a result of his actions upon entering, his cooperation with law enforcement and the provision of credible information, the government opted to recommend the probationary period for the musician.

In the aftermath of Schaffer’s participation in the Jan. 6 riot, the remaining members of Iced Earth all quit the band. At present, Schaffer remains the only current band member of the group.

Jon Schaffer’s Sentencing

While the government has made its recommendation, the official sentencing has yet to take place. Last month, the sentencing was pushed back yet again for Schaffer and the current scheduled date to finalize the details will take place on Oct. 25, 2024.