A federal judge in Washington, D.C, on Monday ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to return the spear-tipped flagpole and horned headdress worn by the man dubbed the "QAnon Shaman," who served a 41-month prison sentence following the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol.
Judge Royce Lamberth, a Ronald Reagan appointee, rejected claims by prosecutors that Jacob Chansley's items might still be needed as evidence.
"Since the government has not established that it still needs these items as evidence and has not sought their forfeiture, the Court will grant Mr. Chansley's motion," Lamberth ruled, the New York Post reported Tuesday.
In a post Monday on X, Chansley wrote: "Judge Lamberth has my respect & gratitude, his ruling is just & impartial. He is simply requiring the government to follow the law as it is written."
Chansley, 37, was one of the first protesters to enter the Capitol on Jan. 6 and among the first to be indicted. His horned fur hat, bare chest, face paint, and spear-tipped American flagpole made him one of the more recognizable figures during the chaos at the Capitol. He also carried an electric megaphone and encouraged others during the protest. It was not known if the megaphone was seized or will be returned.
He pleaded guilty in July 2021 to one count of obstruction of an official preceding and was sentenced to 41 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release and a $2,000 fine.
"Mr. Chansley has completed his prison sentence and much of his term of supervised release," Lamberth wrote in his decision, according to the Post. "Now, he has moved for the return of his property seized and still held by the government, including his spear and helmet."