A former U.S. Marine has been sentenced to life in prison for organizing a plot to kill law enforcement agents and attack an FBI office following his arrest tied to the January 6 Capitol breach.
According to Military.com, Edward Kelley, a Tennessee man previously charged for his role in the 2021 Capitol riot, was convicted in a separate case for conspiring to assassinate federal officers and attempting a retaliatory plot against the FBI nearly two years after the initial incident.
Kelley, who served eight years in the Marine Corps with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, was arrested in May 2022 for crimes committed during the Capitol riot. Prosecutors said he was among the first to enter the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and was captured on surveillance footage assisting others in assaulting a Capitol Police officer and damaging federal property. Though President Donald Trump later pardoned Kelley for these federal charges, new allegations emerged in Tennessee, leading to a separate series of legal proceedings. The court clarified that Trump’s pardon did not extend to any subsequent actions unrelated to the Capitol incident or those committed in Tennessee.
Life Sentence Handed Down Amid National Security Concerns
The Tennessee case stemmed from a plot uncovered in late 2022, in which Kelley, now identified as a Maryville, Tennessee resident, had planned an attack on the FBI’s Knoxville office. According to federal prosecutors, Kelley and two co-conspirators used encrypted communication platforms to coordinate the scheme, which included the use of explosive devices placed on vehicles and the deployment of drones.
This plan came to light after co-defendant Austin Carter cooperated with authorities. Carter testified in court that he had trained alongside Kelley in military-style exercises and believed that the law enforcement officers listed in Kelley’s possession would have been killed had they not been arrested in time.
Kelley was ultimately convicted in November by a jury on several federal counts, including attempted murder of government officials, solicitation to commit violence, and trying to intimidate federal personnel through threats. The list of targets included 36 officers involved in his prior arrest and home search, which prosecutors argued was an apparent hit list.
Judge Rejects Defense Argument, Denies Release on Appeal
U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan handed down the life sentence, emphasizing Kelley’s lack of remorse and the continued danger he posed. Prosecutors claimed Kelley viewed his actions as part of a broader campaign to incite violent resistance and even civil unrest.
“Kelley not only believes the actions for which he was convicted were justified,” prosecutors stated, “but that his duty as a self-styled 'patriot' compelled him to target East Tennessee law enforcement for assassination.” They added that his motivation stemmed from anger toward officers involved in the 2022 arrest and a desire to ignite conflict. Carter’s testimony described deliberate preparations alongside Kelley in November 2022. He said the group trained with weapons and discussed assassination plans, noting he was confident fatal attacks would have occurred if arrests had not intervened.
Defense Says Plot Was Incomplete and Rhetorical
In court, Kelley’s attorney Mark Brown argued against the severity of the sentence, contending that no actual harm had occurred and that the government's argument overstated the gravity of the threats. Brown emphasized Kelley’s rights under the First Amendment and denied that there was real intent or capacity to execute the plot as described.
“Discussions did not lead to action,” Brown said. “While people may not like what Mr. Kelley had to say, he stands behind his position that he has a First Amendment right to free speech.” He further urged the court not to apply additional sentencing enhancements commonly used in terrorism cases. Brown also stressed that Kelley had not physically harmed anyone following his initial Capitol involvement. The defense maintained that the Tennessee plot lacked true operational logistics or imminent danger, and thus did not meet the standard of terrorism.
Co-Defendant Awaits Sentencing After Plea Deal
Carter, who entered a guilty plea to a conspiracy charge in January 2024, is scheduled to be sentenced this August. His cooperation with prosecutors was instrumental in the case against Kelley, and he provided detailed accounts of their planning and stated intentions. Testimony revealed that Kelley viewed law enforcement officers as enemies in an anticipated civil war. Prosecutors presented this ideology as a core driver behind the plot and noted that Kelley’s military background gave him the tactical knowledge to carry it out.
Kelley had previously faced a non-jury trial in Washington, D.C., for the Capitol riot, on 11 counts including destruction of federal property and assault. These were the charges for which Trump issued a pardon, but his later actions in Tennessee made him eligible for renewed prosecution.
Court Maintains Trump Pardon Had No Effect on New Case
The court ruled decisively that the presidential pardon did not shield Kelley from legal consequences in this separate conspiracy case. Unlike a previous defendant in Kentucky whose Trump pardon was interpreted to cover other felonies, judges found that Kelley’s Tennessee crimes occurred after the January 6 event and were not addressed in the original pardon.
Kelley remained in custody from his December 2022 arrest through his conviction and sentencing. Judge Varlan also denied a motion to release Kelley while he appealed the sentence, citing concerns about public safety and flight risk. This case marks one of the more severe sentences issued in connection with lingering violence tied indirectly to the Capitol riot, underscoring concerns over domestic extremist threats in its aftermath.
