A former Republican candidate for Michigan governor who was at the U.S. Capitol during the 2021 riot has reached a plea agreement and will avoid a trial, his attorney said Thursday.
Ryan Kelley was charged with misdemeanors and will resolve the case with a “minor misdemeanor,” attorney Gary Springstead told The Detroit News.
Kelley, who lives in Ottawa County, wants to “put this behind him so he can focus on his family and his successful career as a commercial real estate agent,” Springstead said.
Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington scratched a trial in the case and set a court hearing for July 27, online records show.
Kelley, who supported then-President Donald Trump, was charged with disruptive conduct, injuring public property and entering restricted space without permission on Jan. 6, 2021.
Kelley has said he was lawfully protesting the results of the 2020 presidential election and didn't enter the Capitol building.
His arrest last summer suddenly improved his name recognition in a crowded field of Republican candidates for governor, but Kelley finished fourth in the GOP primary in August.
