According to WISH-TV, ICE LAND guitar player Jon Schaffer made his first appearance in court on Monday (January 18) and will remain in prison at least until Friday (January 22) in connection with his role in the January 6 uprising on the United States Capitol.
Schaffer he turned himself over to the police in Hamilton County and has since been transferred to Marion County Prison. In the coming days, he will go ahead of the American magistrate, who will be able to release him on bail.
The musician, residing in Columbus, Indiana, surrendered himself to the authorities around 3 pm on Sunday (January 17), Chris Bavender, public relations specialist for the FBI Indianapolis field office said.
According FBI, Schaffer was among the protesters who sprayed US Capitol police officers with “bear spray”, a form of capsaicin pepper spray sold by many street retailers, as part of their efforts to push police officers back into the Capitol and break into the Capitol building.
Schaffer he was photographed and captured on surveillance video carrying “bear spray” and engaging in verbal altercations with Capitol police inside the Capitol building. Schaffer is seen holding what the FBI describes it as “transparent sunglasses” in one photograph and “bear spray in other photographs”.
These are the six charges Schaffer is facing, according to the FBI:
1) Intentionally entering or staying in any restricted building or land without legal authority
2) Disrupt the orderly conduct of government affairs
3) Being consciously involved in an act of physical violence against any person or property in any building or restricted land
4) Violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building
5) Engage in an act of physical violence in a Capitol building
6) Parade, demonstration or picket in a Capitol building
On January 8, the FBIThe Washington Field Office released 40 photos of people who were suspected of illegal entry during a violent US Capitol insurrection on January 6 during the final recording of the Congressional vote for the 2020 general election. Among them was a photo of Schaffer taken by Roberto Schmidt of AFP. In the photo, Schaffer could be seen in front of a crowd, wearing a Oath Keepers, an anti-government militia group, wearing tactical black leather gloves with no fingers and pointing the finger while yelling at someone outside the frame.
Schaffer believed to be one of at least 200 people being investigated for FBI officials about their roles in the insurrection. In addition, the FBI received about 140,000 digital media tips from the public.
While Schaffer hasn’t said anything publicly about his involvement in the riot, his ICE LAND bandmates released a statement about Instagram and Facebook opposing the insurrection.
“We absolutely DO NOT condone or support riots or acts of violence in which the demonstrators were involved on January 6 in the United States Capitol building,” they wrote. “We hope that everyone involved on that day will be brought to justice to be investigated and accountable for their actions.”
Earlier this month, German daily newspaper Die Welt uploaded a video interview that he conducted with Schaffer last November at a show of support in Washington, DC Trump and protesting the results of the 2020 presidential elections. In the chat, the 52-year-old said that “a group of bandits and criminals have kidnapped this country a long time ago” and warned that “they are messing with the wrong people here. Because now we see you, and you will fall. Keep my words. “
Schaffer also apparently threw his support back Trump, saying “he is not the typical republican” and claiming that the 45th president of the United States is “dealing with a criminal mafia that is in the shadows ruling the world, frankly, for a long time. They want to destroy all of our sovereignty and achieve government global, “he added. “We will not accept … It will not happen. There will be a lot of bloodshed if it comes to this – believe me. The American people will not accept this shit – once they understand what is really going on, this is where we are. No one wants that, but they are taking us to a point where we have no choice. ”