WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — A Maryville man was arrested Thursday after authorities said he was identified illegally entering the Capitol Building during the Jan. 6 insurrection.
According to court documents, Edward Kelley, 33, of Maryville is charged in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in the District of Columbia with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers, civil disorder, destruction of government property and related offenses.
According to court documents, Kelley was among a crowd of rioters on January 6 that illegally gathered at the Capitol. Kelley was seen wearing a gas mask and a green tactical helmet along with a backpack.
Capitol surveillance footage shows that Kelley moved to scaffolding over the stairs of the West Front of the Capitol, where he and two other men got into an altercation with a Capitol Police officer. Kelley and the other two men grabbed and threw the USPC officer to the ground, authorities allege.
Court documents state Kelley pushed and pulled on a metal barricade as he made his way to the outside of the Senate Wing door. Kelley was seen using a piece of wood to break the window close to the Senate Wing door, the government alleges.
Kelley was the fourth rioter to enter the building through the window, according to government evidence. After entering through the broken window, Kelley moved to the still closed Senate Wing door and kicked it open, which allowed other rioters to enter, images show.
As he moved through the building, Kelley changed from the gas mask into a red, white and blue medical mask and entered the Rotunda. Kelley left the building approximately 40 minutes after he first broke in.
According to court documents, Kelley had previously told the FBI that he attended the rally for President Trump at The Ellipse before walking to the Capitol. Kelley, however, denied that he had entered the building.
Kelley was arrested in Knoxville and was to make his initial appearance Thursday in federal court in Knoxville. The case will be prosecuted from Washington.