A man who lost a bid for the Maine Senate last year has been charged in connection with the breach of the U.S. Capitol more than two and half years ago.

The Justice Department said Matthew Brackley, 39, of Waldoboro, was arrested Friday on federal charges and made an initial appearance in court. Charges include assault of two law enforcement officers inside the Capitol.

Brackley ran for a Maine Senate seat last year as a Republican. He lost to Democrat Eloise Vitelli of Arrowsic.

In questionnaire responses published by the Times Record, he said was “was inspired to run for the State Senate as he witnessed the suffering in his community from the targeted deterioration of individual freedoms in favor of government suppression and control. He firmly believes that the purpose of government is to serve, defend and support its citizens.”

Brackley also owns a small business, Brackley Electric, based in West Bath, and is married with three children.

No one answered Friday at a number listed for Brackley, or at a number listed for the business.

A criminal complaint alleges that Brackley traveled from Maine to Washington, D.C., to attend the “Stop the Steal,” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, with supporters of Donald Trump, who two months prior had lost his reelection bid to Joe Biden. Trump refused to accept the results and spoke at that rally, urging the crowd to fight to overturn the election. Trump, who still maintains the election was stolen, is under investigation by the Justice Department for his role and is expected to be charged soon.

The “Stop the Steal” rally happened just before a joint session of Congress in which the House and Senate had convened to count the electoral votes, a normally low-key event that occurs prior to the inauguration of a new president.

The complaint says that after the rally, Brackley walked with many others to the Capitol, where police had formed a line to keep protesters from advancing. Once the police line was breached, Brackley was among those who entered the Capitol via the stairs.

According to the complaint, Brackley entered the building at approximately 2:23 p.m., just 10 minutes after the building was first breached. At several points, Brackley and others were stopped by police and told to “back up.” Brackley did not, the complaint states, and at one point asked officers where the Speaker of the House’s office was located.

Brackley then turned and encouraged the crowd behind him to move forward and “used both arms to push through the officers before him,” the complaint states. Brackley made his way toward the Senate chamber, where he was again met by police. This time, officers used chemical spray, which caused him and others to retreat. Brackley left the Capitol at 3:05 p.m.

In addition to felony charges of assaulting officers, Brackley is charged with resisting arrest and civil disorder. He also faces misdemeanor offenses of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; disorderly conduct in a capitol building; act of physical violence in the capitol grounds or buildings; and parading, picketing, and demonstrating in a capitol building.

So far, more than 1,000 people from nearly all 50 states have been arrested in conjunction with the breach of the Capitol, but the investigation is ongoing and more could still be charged.

Last week, Kyle Fitzsimons of Lebanon was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 attack. He was the first Maine resident charged, but Brackley’s arrest brings the total to seven.

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