Man charged with bringing gun to Wisconsin Capitol arrested again for concealed carry violation

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A man who twice brought guns to the Wisconsin state Capitol and demanded to see Gov. Tony Evers has been arrested again on suspicion of a concealed carry violation he allegedly committed that same night, the governor’s administration said Wednesday.

Police arrested Joshua Pleasnick, 43, of Madison, on Tuesday night. He was released from jail on Wednesday afternoon after prosecutors declined to level any additional charges against him, Dane County District Ismael Ozanne told The Associated Press in an email.

Pleasnick already faces a misdemeanor count of openly carrying a firearm in a public building. He's set to make his initial court appearance on that count Thursday morning. Online court records did not list an attorney for Pleasnick.

Pleasnick entered the Capitol on the afternoon of Oct. 4 without a shirt, guiding a dog on a leash and openly carrying a holstered handgun, according to prosecutors and investigators. He approached Evers' office and demanded to speak with the governor. Evers wasn't in the building at the time.

Pleasnick was arrested, booked and released on bail. According to prosecutors, he returned to the Capitol that same night with an AK-style semi-automatic rifle and a police baton in his backpack. He again demanded to see Evers but the building was already closed.

He was taken into custody again that same night and was formally charged on Monday with the misdemeanor firearms count.

Evers' administration said that he was arrested again Tuesday night for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit on Oct. 4, the day he entered the Capitol. Department of Administration spokesperson Tatyana Warrick said in an email to the AP that the baton in his backpack violated concealed carry statutes.