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Antionne Brodnax, an artist also known as “Bugzie the Don" has been sentenced to five months in prison followed by a year of supervised release after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to several misdemeanor counts for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol Building.
During the riot, Brodnax, who later moved from Virginia to Georgia, was captured smoking on a vehicle outside of the Capitol, in a photo he later used on the cover of an album dubbed "The Capital.”
According to prosecutors, Brodnax was ultimately tracked down shortly after the Jan. 6 insurrection after a Twitter and Instagram user going by the name “@bugziethedon” was referenced in images across social media, leading investigators right to him.
Brodnax later admitted to FBI investigators that he was at the riot and entered the US Capitol, stating that he had traveled to Washington, DC to shoot a music video. He then said that he followed a crowd to the Capitol peacefully.
He admitted to taking pictures and video of the Capitol Building, though he did not enter any office, chamber, or engage in violence or theft, officials said. He proceeded to leave the building after being tipped off that a clip of him inside the building had been making the rounds on CNN.
He was arrested without incident and initially charged with:
- Knowingly entering or remaining an any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority;
- Disorderly conduct in any restricted building or grounds;
- Violent entry;
- Disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
Prosecutors reportedly had sought nearly two years in prison for Brodnax, citing a lengthy criminal history that includes convictions in Maryland and Virginia, as well as him allegedly deleting evidence from his phone that included photos and video of the riot.
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