A former Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate was sentenced by a federal judge on Oct. 17 to two months in prison for participating in the U.S. Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021, during which he incited other rioters and tore a tarp outside the building.
Ryan Kelley, who placed fourth in the GOP primary among five other candidates, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in July.
Before entering his guilty plea, Mr. Kelley claimed on social media that the confrontation at the U.S. Capitol was an FBI setup. The words “political prisoner” were posted on Facebook by his campaign following his detention in June 2022.
U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper reprimanded Mr. Kelley for misusing his position as a political candidate to spread the information concerning election fraud, including the assertion that Jan. 6 was part of an FBI operation.
Mr. Kelley, 42, of Allendale, Michigan, went to Washington to participate in the Jan. 6 “Stop the Steal” event held by then-President Donald Trump’s supporters near the White House.
The political candidate and real estate agent wasn’t suspected of any violent behavior related to Jan. 6. Prosecutors at the federal level, however, claim he was instrumental in breaching the scaffolding, riling up the crowd with his chants, and signaling for other rioters to get closer to the Capitol and the police protecting it.
Mr. Kelley admitted to entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, which carries a potential sentence of one year in prison. The prosecution suggested a three-month sentence for Mr. Kelley.
The already contentious Republican contest for governor was thrown into chaos by Mr. Kelley’s arrest. Tudor Dixon, a conservative commentator, won the Republican primary for the 2022 election but eventually lost to Democratic incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in the general election.
Shortly after the 2020 presidential election, Mr. Kelley addressed a “Stop the Steal” rally at the Michigan Capitol in Lansing. According to the FBI, during the rally, Mr. Kelley encouraged those there to “stand and fight” with the intention of thwarting any attempts by the Democrats to steal the election.
After the event supporting President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, the former Republican candidate also joined the crowd that had gathered on the West Plaza of the Capitol and was nearby when flash-bang grenades went off.
Mr. Kelley and the other attendees scaled scaffolding that had been draped in white, and surveillance footage showed him ripping the tarp that was on the structure.
While Mr. Kelley allegedly spent nearly two hours on Capitol grounds, he wasn’t accused of going inside the building.
There have been more than 1,100 federal criminal charges filed in connection with the Capitol riots. More than 800 of those charged have either admitted guilt or been found guilty following contentious trials. About 600 have been given prison terms that range from three days to 22 years.
A woman was also sentenced to four years and nine months in prison on Oct. 17 for her role on Jan. 6, during which she allegedly destroyed a window in the Capitol and used a bullhorn to instruct other rioters. The judge ordered the woman, Rachel Marie Powell, to pay about $8,000 in restitution.
Ms. Powell was convicted on all nine counts she faced. Ms. Powell, 41, from Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania, was accused of playing a “leading role” during the riot, according to the prosecutor.
