A Madison resident, 29-year-old Brandon Nelson, pled guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge committed in relation to the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C.
Nelson was charged by a U.S. District Court on the charge of “protesting, picketing or demonstrating” inside a capitol building, for which he faces a maximum of six month sentence in federal prison and a fine up to $5,000.
According to prosecutors, Nelson and a national guardsman from Lacrosse, 24-year-old Abram Markofski, traveled from Wisconsin to Washington D.C. to attend the rally where Donald Trump contested the results of the 2020 presidential election which later devolved into an attempted act of insurrection.
While at the insurrection, Nelson and Markofski were identified using GPS and surveillance technology in addition to an acquaintance of Nelson providing an anonymous tip to authorities regarding the actions of the two men.
During Nelson’s trial, prosecutors additionally presented communications between Nelson and Markofski indicating their active participation in the insurrection on January 6.
According to prosecutors, Nelson texted Markofski on Jan. 7, “We held the line … No backing down,” to which Markofski replied, “F**k. Yeah, brother is Patriots won’t go down without a fight.”
Markofski was similarly convicted of protesting, picketing or demonstrating inside a capitol building with Markofski additionally agreeing to be interviewed by law enforcement in order to help identify additional rioters.
The conviction of Markofski and Nelson marks seven Wisconsinites to be convicted on charges related to the Jan. 6 insurrection out of more than 590 total convictions made in relation to the incident.
