JON SCHAFFER Explains How His 'Relationship With Jesus Christ' Helped Him Navigate Through Aftermath Of His Involvement In U.S. Capitol Riot

During a three-hour appearance on the latest episode of the Iblis Manifestations podcast, ICED EARTH founder and guitarist Jon Schaffer discussed his involvement in the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. In October 2024, Schaffer was sentenced to three years of probation and 120 hours of community service in connection with his involvement in the riot. At the sentencing hearing, Jon was also ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and a $200 financial assessment. Schaffer later became one of about 1,500 people accused of crimes related to the riot who were pardoned by U.S. president Donald Trump.

Asked if there were any new things that he learned about human nature from the whole January 6 experience and its aftermath, Jon said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think the biggest thing, learning part, for me wasn't really anything new regarding human nature. And that's probably because I've been blessed to be able to travel around the world for decades and have just been able to meet amazing people from everywhere. But it was a growth process for me. It definitely was a crucible, there's no doubt about that. And I feel like it could have gone any way.

"A lot of people that went through J6 have just been destroyed, and there were several suicides," Jon continued. "And even some guys that were facing misdemeanors, but they were so destroyed because of the amount of demonization that was going on in the media… I mean, they were coming out and saying it was worse than 9/11, worse than Pearl Harbor. It's, like, come on, man. Really, this is insane. This kind of rhetoric is just… Every time they do stuff like that, they minimize the actual tragedy of those events.

"I don't think I really learned anything new about human nature, just my own, that it was huge growth process," Schaffer explained. "I was still pretty pissed off when I was locked up. But it started to calm. And, of course, there was a serious level of PTSD afterwards, and I think I'm still dealing with some of that, but not in a way… I don't know, man. I really have to say the biggest thing for me that made me calm through the whole thing was my relationship with [Jesus] Christ. And I think that if I would've never had that as a kid that I may not have gone there."

Schaffer confirmed that he spent nearly two months at Indiana's Marion County Jail before he was transferred to the District Of Columbia in March 2021, when the charges were filed against him.

"I was in four different facilities for three months," Jon recalled. "It was brutal in the county jails versus the federal prison that I was in. You got your guaranteed hour of rec. You could turn off your light in your cell. But it was torturous, because in some of those places… The longest place I was at was the old Marion County Jail, which was condemned. They didn't care about it, 'cause they were building a whole new system. So the jail was absolutely disgusting. It was freezing cold, bright lights 24-7. And I was next to suicide block for about five weeks, I guess. I mean, you sort of lose track of time in there. You don't know what time it is, 'cause you don't see any sunlight at all. But that was next to suicide block. So you're having people that are screaming and multiple personalities and it's all coming into your cell. It's like being in Arkham Asylum [fictional psychiatric hospital appearing in American comic books], so massive sleep deprivation was going on. But there was one guard that came by, and he slid some literature under my cell door and he just said, 'Stay strong, brother,' and went on. And it was literature on Daniel in the lions' den from the Bible. And so I read that. And then I requested a Bible, 'cause it was really the only book that I could get. We were denied library access — or anybody in solitary in that system was denied access to the… I couldn't even get to the law library, which is a constitutional right. There were so many of our constitutional rights that were thrown out the window in the whole experience. But once I got to the prison in D.C., I was able to get some books, and my attorney, my friend Marc, he had recommended a few for me to read. And my girlfriend at the time ordered those and had 'em sent to the prison and I was able to read that. But once I started reading the Bible, 'cause it was really the only book I had in that early part of the process, I really was focusing on Jesus's words — not the rest of it so much, but just on Jesus's words. And it started to really resonate with me, but I hadn't really committed. That wasn't until probably a year after I got out. And then once I did, it was like there was this inner change that took place. It wasn't immediate — it was slow — but it started to happen. And at one point there was this overwhelming peace that came over me that — I can't explain it. I mean, it was supernatural. And as my relationship grows in that way, it's just more peace, man — more resolve, but more peace. And not anger out of the situation, or at the situation.'

Schaffer continued: "Yes, it was unjust [what happened to me], but there's been many injustices against individuals through the history of the world, like billions of them. So I'm not gonna sit back and cry myself a river over that. It doesn't make any sense. There's horribly unjust things going on right now all over the world to many different people, and I don't like that. But I also know it's outta my control. So do I drive myself into a fit of rage every time I think about all the injustices against innocents? The things that are happening to children — dude, that's where I have to catch myself, where I start to get worked up, when I think about children being abused the way that they are. That bothers me — as a father, but just as a human being. That's a no-go zone. There's a code in prison for people like that. So, even the most hardened criminals have a soft spot for children. And if you're one of those guys and you go into prison, you're gonna be dealt with. You're gonna get justice in there. So that's probably the thing that I struggle with the most, in terms of like feeling myself rise to anger, is when I hear about or see things that are happening with the children. But still, even at that, I'm way more… I don't even know if it's me that's in control of my emotions or if it's just my relationship with Christ that's allowed me to see things more clearly and to understand more of a bigger view of what's happening and the fallen nature of mankind. It's certainly made me more forgiving, man — I can tell you that. Because I think when you start to see the bigger picture of it, you understand that you also are a fallen creature and you make mistakes and it's not really fair for you to judge other people. And once you do that… I am a sinner also. I've made mistakes. I've done wrong things, and everybody has, so I'm not gonna stand up on my high horse and start coming down on everybody. I mean, the children, that's another thing. That's like a whole another level. But everything else outside of that, there's a level of forgiveness that I never had before I became a Christian. Before the change happened in my heart, I wasn't even capable of it. I'm not saying I didn't forgive people, but not like this. Not to the point where you really let everything go. And even with my parents."

Schaffer added: "There's a [American right-wing] talk show guy named Jesse Lee Peterson. He's a black guy from California. He's amazing. He's a really exceptional human being. You can just tell by the way he interviews people and stuff. And he was saying, 'You have to forgive your mother. You have to forgive your parents.' And that stayed in my head, and that came back to me several times. I'm, like, 'Well, am I really holding any grudges?' And I thought, 'You know, I think I probably am.' And I went out to my dad's gravesite, and I forgave him and I apologized for judging. But I loved my dad. My dad was the best man at my wedding. But there were some issues with my mom, even though my mom and I were close. But I called her. Fortunately, I did this before she passed away — a good while before she passed away — and I just said, 'Mom, I just wanna apologize for judging you, and I forgive you for any of the mistakes.' And it was not just words. I meant it from my heart, because finally that conviction was on my heart. It was one thing hearing Jesse Lee Peterson talk about it, but then it was almost like that inner voice was telling me, 'No, that's where it's at.' And when I did that, that was when peace came over me. That's part of the process. That's the first step with my journey with Christ in my heart. And it led to that and that voice."

Elaborating on how he personally has grown as a result of his experiences, Schaffer said: "I've been following my instincts — well, our instincts do deceive us, actually, often, but whatever the conviction on my heart was, I was following it and listening. And when I've done that, it's been a big progression, in terms of getting towards kind of a perfect peace. I'm not there, but I'm pretty close, because I don't allow things to rattle me, because I understand this… And my friend Marc helped me understand that too by recommending a book called 'The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People'. And in there there's that response — that's your power; that's your freedom. How do you respond to the things the world throws at you? Because when you're impulsive — you get into a road rage incident because of some stupid thing like the way somebody's driving. If you allow that to interrupt your peace, that could land you in prison for a really long time. So, I think it takes going through something this heavy to help you recalibrate your mind and reprioritize your thought process to be able to just take things. I don't get mad in traffic anymore. If somebody cuts me off, it's, like, 'Okay, whatever. Why am I gonna give this situation the power to interrupt my peace? I'm not going to.' And it takes a lot to do that now. Like I said, the only thing I can think of that I start to feel my blood start to boil is anytime I hear about these horrible things that have happened with the children and regarding powerful people. I mean, one thing that would happen to help many people around the western world, maybe everywhere, is powerful people need to be held accountable for their crimes. And we don't have that. That's a serious problem. And I think that if there is any desire whatsoever from the people in government to have the temperature get lowered and for people to start believing in the system again is to believe that there is a system of justice that's blind. And it doesn't matter how wealthy you are, who you're connected to, if you commit the crime, there's gonna be justice. And that's the kind of thing that I wish that would actually happen, that there would be some accountability so that people would start to feel, like, 'Okay, it's not all rigged against us, the average people.'"

Although Schaffer was initially charged with six crimes, including engaging in an act of physical violence and targeting police with bear spray, he pleaded guilty to only two charges: obstruction of an official proceeding of Congress; and trespassing on restricted grounds of the Capitol while armed with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

As part of the plea deal, Schaffer agreed to cooperate with investigators and potentially testify in related criminal cases. In return for Schaffer's assistance, the Justice Department later urged the judge to show leniency during his sentencing. Also as part of the agreement, the Justice Department offered to sponsor Schaffer for the witness protection program.

Following the initial reports that Schaffer was involved in the riot, his ICED EARTH bandmates distanced themselves from his actions. Singer Stu Block and bassist Luke Appleton later posted separate statements on social media announcing their resignations. BLIND GUARDIAN frontman Hansi Kürsch also quit DEMONS & WIZARDS, his long-running project with Schaffer. The allegations also apparently affected Schaffer's relationship with his longtime record label Century Media, which had released albums from both ICED EARTH and DEMONS & WIZARDS. As of mid-January 2021, the Century Media artist roster page did not list either band.

In April 2025, Schaffer said in an interview that the legal issues and professional setback he faced as a result of his involvement in the Capitol riot have been "the biggest gift" of his life, in part because "it is what led" him "to [Jesus] Christ."