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Life Sentence for Conspiracy to Murder Federal Employees

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A 36-year-old man from Maryville, Tennessee, was sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to murder federal employees and other charges. Edward Kelley, who was convicted after a three-day jury trial, had developed a plan to target law enforcement officials, including FBI agents, state troopers, and local police officers. The evidence presented at trial showed that Kelley had created a "kill list" of his targets and had distributed the list and videos containing images of his targets to a co-conspirator.

Key Takeaways:

  • Kelley was convicted of conspiracy to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, and influencing a federal official by threat.
  • He developed a plan to target law enforcement officials, including FBI agents, state troopers, and local police officers.
  • The evidence showed that Kelley created a "kill list" of his targets and distributed the list and videos containing images of his targets to a co-conspirator.
  • A cooperating defendant testified that Kelley and he had planned attacks on the Knoxville FBI office using car bombs and incendiary devices appended to drones.
  • The conspirators also strategized about assassinating FBI employees in their homes and in public places such as movie theaters.
  • Kelley was recorded making threats, including saying "You don't have time to train or coordinate, but every hit has to hurt" and "Every hit has to hurt."
  • The FBI's Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, investigated the case.
  • Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson, along with Trial Attorneys Tanya Senanayake and Jacob Warren, prosecuted the case.

Statistics:

  • Kelley was sentenced to life in prison.
  • He was convicted of conspiracy to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, and influencing a federal official by threat.
  • The FBI's Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case.
  • The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson, along with Trial Attorneys Tanya Senanayake and Jacob Warren.
  • The conspirators planned to use car bombs and incendiary devices appended to drones to attack the Knoxville FBI office.

Sources:

  • United States Attorneys General Edward Kelley, 36, of Maryville, Tennessee, was sentenced to life in prison today in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville.
  • [1] Knoxville News Sentinel, "Maryville man sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to murder federal employees" (November 20, 2024).
  • [2] The Tennessean, "Tennessee man convicted of conspiracy to murder federal employees" (November 20, 2024).
  • [3] FBI Press Release, "Maryville Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Conspiracy to Murder Federal Employees" (November 20, 2024).

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