Wisconsin Soldier, Friend Charged In U.S. Capitol Attack

WISCONSIN—A Wisconsin Army National Guard solider and another man were charged on Monday with entering the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6. Five people died in the Jan. 6 riot, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick.

Abram Markofski, of La Crosse, and Brandon Nelson, of Madison, have been charged with four counts including:

• Entering and remaining in a restricted building.
• disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.

The day after the attack, an an anonymous tipster submitted an online tip to the FBI that Nelson was inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, according to the criminal complaint. On Jan. 18, FBI special agents interviewed Nelson, who admitted he traveled with his friend Markofski by car from the Madison area to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, the complaint said.

They arrived in Washington on the morning of Jan. 6 so they could attend a political rally by former president Donald Trump, the complaint said.

Nelson said both men first went to the Washington Monument, then to the White House to listen to Trump speak. From there, they went to the Capitol, the complaint said.

The two walked up the stairs of the Capitol, near some scaffolding, and entered the Capitol, the complaint said. Nelson the police were guiding some people in, the complaint said.

Nelson stated he and Markofski entered a room inside the Capitol with a dome-like ceiling. They were in there for approximately 20 minutes, then followed the crowd into another room, the complaint said. Altogether, Nelson admitted they were in the Capitol for approximately 40 minutes, according to the complaint.

FBI special agents interviewed Markofski. He also admitted to entering the Capitol on Jan. 6, with Nelson, the complaint said. His account differed from Nelson’s in that Markofski did not characterize police officers as guiding them into the building; rather, he said a police officer inside the Capitol told them, “I can’t make you guys leave. However, for your safety, you should leave." the complaint said.

Markofski said that after leaving the Capitol, they drove back to Wisconsin, the complaint said.

FBI reviewed surveillance video and photos and at least one open-source media photo that appear to depict both men in the Capitol on Jan. 6, the complaint said.

According to the complaint, in one image, Nelson, circled on the left, and Markofski, circled on the right, appear standing close to each other inside the building: