FBI arrests Michigan gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley on Jan. 6 charges

Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI

June 9 (UPI) — FBI agents on Thursday arrested Michigan gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley on charges related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Kelley, 40, was led out of his Allendale, Mich., home in handcuffs as agents conducted a search, The Detroit News reported.

He faces federal misdemeanor charges of knowingly entering a restricted building without lawful authority, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restive building, knowingly engaging in any act of physical violence against a person or property in a restricted building, and willfully injuring or committing any depredation against any property of the United States.

statement of facts says the FBI received multiple tips that Kelley was present at the Capitol on the day of the attack. Thousands of supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the building during a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 presidential election.

Court documents included photos prosecutors said showed Kelley wearing a backward baseball cap among a crowd of people pushing past Capitol Police officers.

“At approximately 2:00 p.m., Kelley climbed onto and stood on an architectural feature next to the northwest stairs and indicated by waving his hand that the crowd behind him should move towards the stairs leading into the … Capitol building,” a statement of facts said.

CCTV captured Kelley entering the Capitol building at about 2:30 p.m. and he was last seen inside at 3:26 p.m.

Kelley is one of several Republicans running to face off against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan’s governor race. His campaign manager, Karla Wagner, told WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids called his arrest an “intimidation tactic.”

“I think this is a very calculated movement on the part of the Democrats,” she said.

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