ALLENDALE, Mich. (WWJ) - Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation have arrested Republican candidate for Michigan Governor, Ryan Kelley, Thursday morning on charges stemming from his role in the Jan. 6 post-election riot at the U.S. Capitol last year, authorities confirmed.
Kelley was taken into custody by FBI agents who were searching his Allendale home, just west of Grand Rapids, the morning of June 9 and charged with a misdemeanor in connection to the Jan. 6 riot in Washington D.C.
According to court documents, Kelley has been charged with "knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority during the riot, as well as disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds".
He was also charged with "knowingly engaging in an act of physical violence against person or property in a restricted building or grounds, and willfully injuring or committing a depredation against a property of the United States".
WWJ's Jonathon Carlson reported that Kelley will appear in federal court in Grand Rapids on Thursday afternoon; agents told Carlson they expect the investigation to widen.
Kelley was in attendance at the Capitol last year where several witnesses and tipster were able to identify him as part of a crowd of people "who are assaulting and pushing past law enforcement officers outside of the Capitol."
Related
Video evidence collected by authorities allegedly captured Kelley at the incident in a ball cap and sunglasses.
"At approximately 1:30 p.m. on January 6, 2021, a video of the event that was posted online displays an individual wearing the aviator sunglasses and backwards black baseball cap at about the 7 minute, 9 second mark," court documents said. "This indicates that Kelley gathered near the entrance to the North Western scaffolding on the Western side of the U.S. Capitol."
Kelley previously organized an armed protest in Lansing, defying Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home orders in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FBI confirmed earlier on Thursday that agents were conducting a raid on Kelley's home in West Michigan when he was arrested.
A spokeswoman for Kelley’s campaign didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment -- he is one of five GOP candidates who qualified for the Republican primary to be held later this summer.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to WWJ LIVE for the latest updates.
