Jon Schaffer, guitarist of Florida metal outfit Iced Earth and member of the Oath Keepers, has been sentenced to three years of probation for his involvement in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
WUSA9 reports that the sentence was handed down today by a federal judge after Schaffer pleaded guilty in April 2021 to two felony counts of obstruction of an official proceeding and entering and remaining in a restricted building with a dangerous weapon.
After he was spotted among the rioters who stormed the Capitol, Schaffer turned himself in to the FBI, and, three months later, became the first January 6 defendant to plead guilty.
Schaffer's sentencing had been delayed for years due to his ongoing cooperation with the Justice Department's investigation. Per WUSA9, details about information the musician provided are redacted in a sentencing report filed by federal prosecutors, who noted that Schaffer was privy to Oath Keepers communications in which militia founder Stewart Rhodes "made increasingly violent calls" to oppose the lawful transfer of power following the 2020 election.
Schaffer had never spoken publicly about his decision to plead guilty, and apologized before his sentencing for the "pain and embarrassment" his actions caused [via WUSA9].
Acknowledging that he hadn't lived up to what he'd learned in 30 years as a touring musician, he reportedly told fans, "I'm sorry I let you down and I will work hard to rebuild your trust."