Tennessee man sentenced to life in prison for plan to murder FBI agents

A Tennessee man has been sentenced to life in prison for orchestrating a plot to kill FBI agents and other law enforcement officials, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Edward Kelley, 36, of Maryville, was convicted in November 2024 of conspiracy to murder federal employees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, and threatening to influence a federal official.

On Wednesday, Kelley was sentenced to life in prison by District Judge Thomas A. Varlan in the Eastern District of Tennessee.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kelley created a detailed plan to assassinate law enforcement officers and agents from multiple agencies, including the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Maryville Police Department, Blount County Sheriff’s Office, and Clinton Police Department.

Kelley compiled and distributed a “kill list” and video footage of intended targets to a co-conspirator as part of what he described as his “mission.”

A cooperating co-defendant who pleaded guilty testified that he and Kelley plotted attacks on the FBI’s Knoxville office using car bombs and drones armed with incendiary devices. They also discussed targeting FBI employees in their homes and public spaces such as movie theaters.

Prosecutors introduced recordings in which Kelley called for immediate violent action if he were arrested. In one recording, he instructed others to “start it,” “attack,” and “take out their office,” adding, “Every hit has to hurt.”

The FBI’s Knoxville Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, investigated the case.