The guitarist of the heavy metal band Iced Earth avoids additions…

WASHINGTON (AP) — A heavy metal guitarist who was part of the far-right extremist group Oath Keepers when he joined the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021avoided spending more time behind bars when he was sentenced Friday to probation for his role in the attack.

Jon Ryan Schaffer, who founded the band Iced Earth, was the first January 6 defendant to plead guilty to federal charges in 2021. The sentencing judge and prosecutors credited Schaffer for his decision to quickly accept responsibility and cooperate with Justice Department officials investigating the riot.

“How quickly you accepted responsibility says a lot about who you are,” U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta told him during a hearing in federal court in Washington before sentencing him to three years of probation.

Before the judge, Schaffer apologized to his fans and said he deeply regrets the “pain and shame” his actions have caused.

“You have my word: I will not let you down,” Schaffer told the judge.

He pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors in April 2021 to two charges: obstruction of an official proceeding and entering and remaining in a restricted building with a dangerous or deadly weapon. He was not accused of engaging in any pre-planning or coordination with other members of the Oath Keepers. who have been convicted in separate cases of seditious conspiracy and other serious charges.

Schaffer came to Washington in November 2020 for the “Million MAGA March” to protest the election results. He told a reporter that a “group of thugs and criminals took over this country,” adding, “We see you and we see you.” “We are going down, mark my words,” according to court documents.

On Jan. 6, Schaffer was wearing a hat that said “Life Member of Oath Keepers,” a tactical vest and was carrying a can of bear spray. He was one of the first people to break into the Capitol through the doors on the northwest side of the building, prosecutors say.

He was inside for about 10 minutes, did not participate in any violence or destruction and has already spent about three months in prison after his arrest, said his lawyer, Marc Victor. Schaffer believed the 2020 election was fraudulent and that the country was “on the brink of a power grab” when he stormed the Capitol, Victor told the judge.

“I was wrong, but that’s what I believed,” Victor said. “He was deceived by people in the executive branch.”

More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot. Approximately 1,200 of them have pleaded guilty or been sentenced after trials decided by judges and juries. And more than 1,000 of the defendants have been sentenced, with about two-thirds receiving prison terms ranging from a few days to 22 years.