Chansley attended demonstrations in the Phoenix, Arizona, area starting around 2019, in particular in a march for climate.[14][15] 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.[citation needed]
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."[9][16][17][18] 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.[9][19] He served out a portion of his sentence at Federal Correctional Institution - Safford in Safford, Arizona,[20] and was transferred to a halfway house on March 28, 2023,[21][22][23] from which he was released on May 25, 2023. At that time, his signature horned raccoon headdress had not yet been returned to him, and he was running a hot dog stand to raise funds for a new one.[24][failed verification][citation needed]
^"Seeking Information (Violence At The United States Capitol)"(PDF). FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) (wanted poster (shows Jake Angeli as already arrested, in 3rd picture when going left to right.)). January 14, 2021. Archived(PDF) from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2021. Arrested