Iced Earth's Jon Schaffer moved to undisclosed location, charges expected soon

Jon Schaffer at the Capitol — (Image credit: Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)

Iced Earth founder Jon Schaffer has been moved from the Marion Country Jail in Indiana to an undisclosed location, according to The Republic.

Schaffer is facing six criminal charges relating to the riotous scenes at the US Capitol building in Washington DC on January 6, including Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building, and is expected to have a court date set in Washington D.C. shortly.

The news comes less than a week after Schaffer’s attorneys filed a motion to drop all the alleged charges, arguing that the government had violated the Speedy Trial Act, which requires them to file an indictment within 30 days of arrest. Schaffer handed himself into authorities on January 17.

According to the FBI Indianapolis Field Office, the six charges Schaffer is facing are:

1) Knowingly Entering or Remaining in any Restricted Building or Grounds Without Lawful Authority

2) Disrupting the Orderly Conduct of Government Business

3) Knowingly Engages in an Act of Physical Violence Against any Person or Property in any Restricted Building or Grounds

4) Violent Entry and Disorderly Conduct in a Capitol Building

5) Engage in an Act of Physical Violence in a Capitol Building

6) Parade, Demonstrate, or Picket in a Capitol Building

In relation to charge number five, Schaffer is alleged to have been among rioters who sprayed Capitol police with ‘bear spray’, a form of pepper spray.

While Schaffer has not commented on his involvement, the remaining members of Iced Earth declared their opposition in the following statement:

"We absolutely DO NOT condone nor do we support riots or the acts of violence that the rioters were involved in on January 6th at the US Capitol building. We hope that all those involved that day are brought to justice to be investigated and answer for their actions."

Three band members – singer Stu Block, guitarist Jake Dreyer and bassist Luke Appleton – subsequently quit the band in the wake of Schaffer's arrest.

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.