Will County Gazette

Illinois State Senate District 43 candidate Jen Monson has addressed the charges against a Lockport couple in connection with the January 6 Capitol riot. In a Facebook post dated September 29, Monson questioned, "When will the people who participated in actual riots perpetrated by BLM be prosecuted?"

"When will this persecution stop," said Monson, according to Facebook. "When will the people who participated in actual riots perpetrated by BLM be prosecuted? This is an affront to our Republic and it needs to stop! Citizens have the right to protest and peaceable assemble."

According to Monson's post, she shared an article from February 2024 concerning Kelly Fontaine and Brian Dula, residents of Lockport, Illinois. The couple faces charges including unlawful entry to a restricted building and disorderly conduct in and around the U.S. Capitol. The Chicago Tribune reported that these charges stem from a criminal complaint and arrest warrant dated September 25. The complaint indicates that Fontaine and Dula traveled to Washington on January 5, 2021, for the "Take Back America" rally, with Fontaine sharing plans for the trip as early as December 2020.

Screenshot of Jen Monson's Sept 29 Facebook post | Jen Monson for IL State Senate District 43 Facebook page

An ABC7 report from September 25 said that Fontaine and Dula went to Washington on January 6 because "Donald Trump invited them." At that time, they were dating but have since married. A sentencing memo revealed their actions were illegal and wrong, noting that Fontaine wrote there was probable cause to believe the gathering of Trump supporters was part of a larger scheme to keep Trump in power despite losing the election. According to ABC7, both pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges with sentencing scheduled for October 1.

A June 10 report from Audacy detailed that Fontaine and Dula spent approximately eleven minutes inside the Capitol building on January 6. They pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and parading or demonstrating in a Capitol building.

Monson is described on her campaign website as a mother of three who works directly with children with disabilities as a paraprofessional. She is also an active member of her local school board and has two decades of experience as a business owner.