Recently unsealed court records show federal prosecutors have brought new charges against two Tennessee men related to the Jan. 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Edward Kelley, 33, of Maryville, and Austin Carter, 26, of Knoxville, face multiple counts including conspiracy, retaliation against a federal official, and solicitation to commit violence. In a statement to WPLN News, an attorney for Carter says the man asserts his innocence and that his legal defense is “just beginning.”
On phone calls, the men discussed a list of 37 federal agents to target and reviewed how many guns they’d have available to attack the FBI field office in Knoxville, according to records, and that an acquaintance alerted police and agreed to make the recordings.
Prosecutors previously charged Kelley based on video footage from the capitol insurrection showed him cracking a capitol window. The FBI also searched his home — and records say that at least one agent present during the search was later identified as a target.
They charge that the men conspired unsuccessfully to try to kill dozens of federal agents who investigated the attack.
After a hearing on Friday, the men are due back in court in early January.
The investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection has led to more than 880 arrests, including more than 20 of people with ties to Tennessee.
Update: This story was updated at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday to include a response from Carter’s attorney.
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