QAnon Shaman expected to plead guilty over Capitol riot charges

Jacob Chansley was seen storming into the Capitol Building wearing a horned bearskin outfit on 6 January

Jacob Chansley, the so-called QAnon shaman who became the face of the US Capitol riots with his horns and bearskin outfit, is likely to plead guilty in a hearing scheduled for Friday, according to his lawyer.

Albert Watkins confirmed through a press release that a hearing had been set for Friday morning for the "horn donning, fur-wearing, tattoo chested, Jacob Chansley".

The accused, a supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theory, has been charged with six federal crimes, including felonies for civil disorder and obstructing official proceedings. However, it has not been clarified on what charges Mr Chansley is expected to plead guilty to.

Mr Chansley is accused of taking part in the riot where supporters of former president Donald Trump stormed up Capitol Hill and clashed with police, as Congress convened a session to validate Joe Biden's presidential election victory. At least 5 people died and 100 police officers sustained injuries during or after the attack.

So far more than 535 people have been arrested for participating in the riots, while the FBI is still hunting for 300 more suspects.

The QAnon conspiracy theory regards Mr Trump as the saviour of America and the Democrats as a coterie of satanist paedophiles and cannibals.

His attorney asserted that Arizona-based Mr Chansley has been found to be suffering from mental disorders and now "has repudiated the ‘Q’ previously assigned to him and requests future references to him be devoid of use of the letter ‘Q’".

"The path charted by Mr Chansley since 6 January has been a process, one which has involved pain, depression, solitary confinement, introspection, recognition of mental health vulnerabilities, and a coming to grips with the need for more self-work," the news release read.

Since his arrest in January, Mr Chansley's attorneys have pushed for his release from prison several times, but the judge has repeatedly ruled that he is too dangerous for release.

Meanwhile, another prominent suspect from the riots Doug Jensen was sent back to prison on Thursday, after he was caught violating his release agreement to access the internet to watch false conspiracy theories about the presidential election.

Additional reporting by agencies