Judge refuses to release 'QAnon Shaman' to St. Louis ahead of sentencing

On Friday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatchreported that a federal judge is refusing to release Jacob Chansley, an infamous January 6 Capitol rioter known as the "QAnon Shaman," to St. Louis ahead of his sentencing.

"U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth's order was made public Friday," reported Robert Patrick. "Chansley was required to show by 'clear and convincing evidence' that he was not a flight risk or danger to the community, and Lamberth said he failed. Although Chansley's lawyer, Albert Watkins, had arranged for a place for Chansley to stay, with mental health treatment, Watkins failed to show how anyone would prevent Chansley from fleeing the area. Watkins' plan also does not mitigate the possibility that Chansley's supporters would provide him money to flee, the judge said."

Chansley became one of the most well-known Capitol rioters after he was photographed shirtless, wearing horns and red, white, and blue face paint, breaking into the Senate chamber, and after he lost 20 pounds on a hunger strike demanding access to organic food in jail.

He reportedly had hoped former President Donald Trump, who pushed the "Stop the Steal" conspiracy theories that drove him and other rioters to invade the Capitol, would issue him a pardon on his way out of office, but this did not happen. Following this, Chansley has reportedly become disillusioned with Trump and indeed, with the QAnon movement in general, with his lawyer saying he no longer wants to be known by the "QAnon Shaman" nickname anymore.

Chansley has pleaded guilty to felony obstruction of an official proceeding for trying to disrupt the counting of electoral votes for President Joe Biden. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.