Tennessee Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Plotting to Murder Law Enforcement Officials

Strategic Insights -

A jury convicted 36-year-old Edward Kelley of conspiracy to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, and influencing a federal official by threat. Kelley's plan, which included a "kill list" of law enforcement and videos containing images of his targets, was uncovered by a cooperating defendant who had previously pleaded guilty for his role in the conspiracy. The investigation was led by the FBI's Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force and involved federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

Key Takeaways:

  • Edward Kelley, 36, was sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, and influencing a federal official by threat.
  • The jury's verdict was reached after a three-day trial, during which the prosecution presented evidence of Kelley's plan to murder law enforcement officials, including agents, officers, and employees of the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Maryville Police Department, Blount County Sheriff's Office, and Clinton Police Department.
  • The evidence showed that Kelley developed a "kill list" of law enforcement targets and distributed it, along with videos containing images of his targets, to a co-conspirator.
  • A cooperating defendant testified that Kelley and he planned attacks on the Knoxville FBI office using car bombs and incendiary devices appended to drones.
  • Kelley was recorded stating, "You don't have time to train or coordinate, but every hit has to hurt," and "Every hit has to hurt."
  • The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Tanya Senanayake and Jacob Warren of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.
  • The investigation was led by the FBI's Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
  • Kelley's crime was considered a significant threat to national security, and the prosecution was handled by the Justice Department's National Security Division.

Statistics:

  • Kelley was sentenced to life in prison.
  • The trial lasted three days.
  • The investigation involved federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
  • Kelley's plan included a "kill list" of law enforcement targets.
  • Kelley distributed videos containing images of his targets to a co-conspirator.
  • A cooperating defendant testified that Kelley and he planned attacks on the Knoxville FBI office using car bombs and incendiary devices appended to drones.
  • Kelley was recorded stating that every hit had to hurt.

Sources:

  • U.S. Department of Justice
  • FBI Nashville Field Office
  • FBI Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force
  • National Security Division
  • Eastern District of Tennessee
  • United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee