Life Sentence for Veteran in FBI Office Attack Case

A military veteran has been sentenced to life imprisonment for attacking an FBI office and plotting to kill a law enforcement officer, according to court documents.

Edward Kelly was among the first individuals to breach the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Nearly two years later, he conspired with another person to launch an assault on the FBI in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Last November, a jury found Kelly guilty of conspiring to murder a federal employee, engaging in violent crime, and making threats against federal officials.

At a recent hearing, U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan handed down the life sentence, dismissing any request for Kelly’s release pending appeal.

Prosecutors had pushed for the life term, suggesting that Kelly showed no signs of rehabilitation. They noted that he believed his actions were justified, even claiming it was his “duty” as a self-proclaimed patriot to target law enforcement in East Tennessee for assassination.

Kelly, 36, served in the Marines for eight years and completed tours in Iraq and Afghanistan before leaving the military in 2015. His involvement in the Capitol riot included being captured on video alongside other rioters, throwing officers to the ground and damaging property.

Despite receiving a pardon from President Trump for his earlier Capitol-related conviction, the judge stated that this did not apply to Kelly’s actions in Tennessee. Varlan emphasized that the Tennessee case was significantly separate from the Capitol events.

Kelly asserted that his pardon was broad enough to cover his activities related to the FBI incident, but the judge disagreed, citing the stark differences between the two cases.

While Trump’s Justice Department has previously interpreted certain pardons more broadly, Kelly’s situation did not fit the same criteria, as prosecutors pointed out the distinct nature of his recent crimes.

Having been in custody since December 2022, Kelly’s lawyer argued that he did not physically harm anyone or directly threaten violence. Brown urged the court to reject the enhancement of charges related to terrorism for sentencing, suggesting that Kelly should not face the same consequences as those who committed severe violence during the Capitol riot.

Kelly’s co-defendant, Austin Carter, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges earlier this year and is set to be sentenced on August 4.

According to prosecutors, Kelly had a list of 36 law enforcement officers he intended to assassinate, sharing this with Carter, who participated in training sessions with Kelly as part of their plan.

Carter’s testimony indicated that if they had not been apprehended, the officers on Kelly’s list could have been in serious danger.

Kelly’s lawyer contended that there were no actual plans to execute the plot. He emphasized that discussions alone did not constitute a viable threat and defended Kelly’s right to express his beliefs under the First Amendment.