On November 20, 2024, a federal jury in Knoxville, Tennessee, found Edward Kelley, a 35-year-old from Maryville, guilty of several charges, including Conspiracy to Murder Federal Employees, Solicitation to Commit a Crime of Violence, and Influencing a Federal Official by Threat. These charges, under Title 18 of the United States Code, could result in Kelley receiving a life sentence in federal prison. The sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2025, by United States District Judge Thomas A. Varlan.
During the trial, evidence revealed that Kelley, while awaiting trial for his role in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, devised a plan to assassinate law enforcement personnel, focusing on FBI agents and employees. He reportedly created a “kill list” targeting those involved in the investigation against him and disseminated this list, along with videos of certain FBI employees, to a co-conspirator as part of his plan.
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A co-defendant, who had already pleaded guilty to involvement in the conspiracy, testified about plans to attack the Knoxville FBI office using car bombs and drone-mounted incendiary devices. The testimony also included strategies for assassinating FBI employees at their residences and in public settings, such as movie theaters.
The prosecution presented recordings in which Kelley discussed executing a “course of action” for his plot. In these recordings, Kelley instructed to “start it,” “attack,” and “take out their office” if he were arrested. He was heard stating, “Every hit has to hurt. Every hit has to hurt.”
United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III emphasized the importance of law enforcement safety, stating there is no tolerance for actions that threaten FBI agents and public servants. Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office highlighted the real danger Kelley posed and acknowledged the collaborative efforts of law enforcement in securing the guilty verdict.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson, with support from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The investigation was conducted by the Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, involving federal, state, and local agencies, led by the FBI with assistance from offices nationwide.
For more information, visit the Department of Justice website.
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Nashville Man Faces Federal Firearm and Drug Charges
Keandre Lamont Johnson, a Nashville resident, has been charged with multiple federal offenses, including possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm, after being apprehended by police during a surveillance operation. Johnson, who has a prior criminal record, was found with a firearm and drugs at the time of his arrest and faces a potential federal prison sentence of 37-46 months if convicted. The case is under investigation by federal and local law enforcement agencies.