Jacob Chansley
Jacob Anthony Angeli Chansley (born 1988), also known as the QAnon Shaman, Q Shaman, and Yellowstone Wolf, is an American far-right conspiracy theorist, rioter, and convicted felon who participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, for which he was convicted after a guilty plea on charges of obstructing an official proceeding. He is a supporter of former president Donald Trump and a former believer and disseminator of the QAnon conspiracy theory which has no basis in reality or any facts to corroborate its claims.
Jacob Chansley | |
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Chansley in 2023 | |
| Born | Jacob Anthony Angeli Chansley 1988 (age 35–36) |
| Other names |
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| Education | Glendale Community College |
| Political party | Libertarian |
| Criminal status | Released |
| Conviction(s) | Obstructing an official proceeding (18 U.S.C. § 1512) |
| Criminal penalty | 41 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and $2000 fine |
| Details | |
| Date | January 6, 2021 |
| Location(s) | Washington, D.C. |
Date apprehended | January 9, 2021 |
| Military career | |
| Service/ | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 2005–2007 |
| Rank | Storekeeper Seaman Apprentice |
| Unit | USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) |
Chansley attended demonstrations in the Phoenix, Arizona, area starting around 2019, in particular in a march for climate. At rallies, he promoted conspiracy theories supporting Trump, and he has been a counterprotester at Black Lives Matter events. His appearance, with face paint using the colors and symbols of the American flag and a headdress made of animal fur from a freshly killed raccoon helped to establish his shaman nicknames.
After being photographed taking part in the January 6 storming of the Capitol, Chansley was arrested on January 9 on federal charges of "Civil Disorder; Obsrtuction of an Official Proceeding; Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building; Disorderly and Disruptive Conduct in a Restricted Building; Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building; Parading, Demonstrating, or Picketing in a Capitol Building." He pleaded guilty to a single charge in September, and was sentenced to 41 months (3.4 yr) in prison followed by 36 months (3 yr) supervised release in November 2021. He served out a portion of his sentence at Federal Correctional Institution - Safford in Safford, Arizona, and was transferred to a halfway house on March 28, 2023, from which he was released on May 25, 2023. His signature horned raccoon headdress has not yet been returned to him, and he is running a hot dog stand to raise funds for a new one.