Man pardoned for Jan. 6 offenses gets life in prison in separate case

Widow of Jan. 6 serviceman relieved aft colony

Widow of Jan. 6 serviceman relieved aft assemblage orders rioter to wage civilian settlement 02:50

A Tennessee antheral pardoned by President Trump in January for his relation successful the Jan. 6, 2021, battle connected the U.S. Capitol volition nevertheless service a beingness condemnation for plotting to onslaught FBI agents and seeking to incite a "civil war," according to prosecutors.

Edward Kelley, who was the 4th U.S. Capitol rioter to participate the gathering connected Jan. 6, 2021, faced a abstracted prosecution for targeting national agents portion helium was being investigated for his relation successful the Capitol attack.

The Justice Department argued Kelley created a "kill list" of FBI agents and others who investigated his relation successful the Jan. 6 siege. Prosecutors said Kelley "distributed this database — on with videos containing images of definite FBI employees identified connected the database — to a co-conspirator arsenic portion of his 'mission.'"

A assemblage convicted Kelley of conspiracy charges successful November, and a national justice successful the Eastern District of Tennessee sentenced Kelley to beingness successful situation connected Tuesday.

Though Kelley was among the much than 1,500 Capitol riot defendants pardoned connected January 20, 2025, the pardon did not widen to Kelley's conspiracy lawsuit successful Tennessee. Last month, prosecutors argued, "Edward Kelley is remorseless and has shown neither a capableness nor tendency to rehabilitate. On the contrary, Kelley not lone believes the actions for which helium was convicted were justified but that his work arsenic a self-styled 'patriot' compelled him to people East Tennessee instrumentality enforcement for assassination."

Prosecutors besides said, "The impervious astatine proceedings established that Kelley targeted instrumentality enforcement due to the fact that of their anticipated relation successful the civilian warfare that Kelley hoped to initiate and due to the fact that of his animus towards those who participated successful his May 2022 apprehension and hunt of his home."  

They argued Kelley viewed "the FBI arsenic the force and, arsenic such, were valid targets successful the civilian warfare due to the fact that they served arsenic the 'eyes and ears' of the government."

The Justice Department besides said, "The suspect identified 36 idiosyncratic federal, state, and section instrumentality enforcement unit to people for assassination. He created a database of his targets which included names, titles, and compartment telephone numbers."

Kelley is 1 of respective Jan. 6 defendants who look situation clip successful abstracted transgression cases, including immoderate who person been arrested again aft their pardons were issued. 

A Florida suspect was arrested aboriginal successful January 2025 connected a gun charge. A Texas suspect who was freed from situation by the Trump pardon was aboriginal arrested, suspected of attempted kid solicitation.

A information of a ineligible papers showing alleged images of and allegations against  Edward Kelley surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack. Department of Justice

Kelley's relation connected Jan. 6, 2021, was distinct. Security camera photos showed helium was the 4th idiosyncratic to unlawfully participate the Capitol gathering astatine the forefront of the mob and helium was accused of being portion of a radical that assaulted an officer. He was besides among the radical that confronted lone serviceman Eugene Goodman extracurricular the U.S. Senate enclosure arsenic Senators evacuated to safety.

The Justice Department property merchandise issued Tuesday to denote Kelley's situation condemnation did not marque a notation to Jan. 6. Prior announcements successful his case, from 2022, specified Kelley's alleged relation successful the Capitol siege.