Edward Kelley, Conspiracy to Murder FBI Employees, Tennessee 2021

A jury in the Eastern District of Tennessee has handed down a guilty verdict against Edward Kelley, a 35-year-old man from Maryville, Tennessee, for his role in a sinister plot to murder federal employees, including FBI agents and employees.

The evidence presented at trial revealed that Kelley, while awaiting trial for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol breach, developed a plan to target law enforcement officials. He created a "kill list" of FBI agents and others who participated in the investigation into his conduct on January 6, and distributed this list along with videos containing images of certain FBI employees identified on the list to a co-conspirator as part of his "mission."

A key piece of evidence in the trial came from a cooperating defendant who testified that Kelley and he planned attacks on the Knoxville FBI Field Office using car bombs and incendiary devices attached to drones. The conspirators also discussed assassinating FBI employees in their homes and public places such as movie theaters.

Prosecutors presented recordings of Kelley calling for the development of a "course of action" related to his plan. In one recording, Kelley instructed his co-conspirators to "start it," "attack," and "take out their office" in the event of his arrest. He also stated, "Every hit has to hurt. Every hit has to hurt."

Kelley is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Jacob Warren, Tanya Senanayake, and David Smith of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.

The Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, composed of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, investigated the case, led by the FBI with assistance from FBI offices across the country.

In light of this disturbing verdict, the community can rest a little easier knowing that a man who posed a significant threat to the safety of law enforcement officials has been brought to justice. Kelley's actions were a clear and present danger to the public, and his conviction serves as a reminder of the dedication and bravery of law enforcement officials who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/federal-jury-convicts-man-conspiring-murder-fbi-employees