Jon Ryan Schaffer of Indiana, a self-described "lifetime member" of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, has pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and has agreed to cooperate with the government.

What You Need To Know

  • The federal government has reached its first plea deal in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol Riot

  • Jon Ryan Schaffer of Indiana, a self-described "lifetime member" of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, including obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress and entering a restricted building with a dangerous weapon

  • Friday marks 100 days since the insurrection

  • Schaffer, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, was accused of storming the Capitol and spraying police officers with bear spray

The plea, entered Friday, is the first to be entered publicly in connection to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. 

"On this 100th day since the horrific January 6 assault on the United States Capitol," acting Deputy Attorney General John Carlin said, "Oath Keepers member Jon Schaffer has pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, including for breaching the Capitol while wearing a tactical vest and armed with bear spray, with the intent to interfere with Congress's certification of the electoral college results."

Both charges are felonies and carry with them heavy prison sentences: Obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, while entering a restricted building with a dangerous weapon can be punishable by up to 10 years in jail.

Schaffer, the frontman of the band Iced Earth, has agreed to cooperate with investigators in hopes of getting a lighter sentence, and the Justice Department will consider putting Schaffer in the federal witness security program, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said.

Friday marks 100 days since the insurrection, which saw five people killed, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, as a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

This move signals that federal prosecutors see him as a valuable cooperator as they continue to investigate the militia groups and other extremists involved in the insurrection on Jan. 6.

Schaffer, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, was accused of storming the Capitol and spraying police officers with bear spray. He pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors in federal court in Washington to two counts: obstruction of an official proceeding, and entering and remaining in a restricted building with a dangerous or deadly weapon.

An email seeking comment was sent to an attorney for Schaffer.

Authorities say Schaffer was caught on camera holding bear spray and engaging in verbal altercations with officers in the Capitol. Schaffer was wearing a baseball hat that read “Oath Keepers Lifetime Member” on Jan. 6, but was not charged in the large case involving members and associates of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group, who are accused of conspiring with one another to block the certification of the vote.

Schaffer has voiced various conspiracy theories, once telling a German news station that a shadowy criminal enterprise is trying to run the world under a communist agenda and that he and others are prepared to fight, with violence.

In court documents, the FBI said Schaffer “has long held far-right extremist views” and that he had previously “referred to the federal government as a ‘criminal enterprise.’”

He turned himself in to the FBI a few weeks after the riot, after his photograph was featured on an FBI poster seeking the public’s help in identifying rioters.

More than 400 defendants in 45 states have been charged in connection with the riot.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.