OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Former republican candidate for Michigan governor Ryan Kelley is due back in court Tuesday for sentencing.
The Allendale resident pleaded guilty back in July to a misdemeanor for his participation in the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot.
Prosecutors believe Ryan Kelley should spend three months in federal prison because of his lack of remorse for his participation on January 6th, according to a memo sent out last week.
They stated he "has not yet learned a lesson or grasped the gravity of the events he participated in".
For two years, court documents state that Kelley posted statements on social media making light of the riot, denying any violence took place and insisting that he engaged in no wrongdoing.
Back in July, Kelley pleaded guilty to a charge of illegally entering a restricted area.
The memo states he reportedly climbed an "architectural" feature outside of the capitol, and then gestured for other rioters behind him to move towards the stairs leading up to the building.
Kelley has said he was "protesting the government" because he did not like the results of the 2020 election.
His defense attorney believes probation is appropriate considering his lack of criminal history.
Kelley's arrest in 2022 gave his campaign some publicity, but he ended up finishing far behind other supporters of former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary election.
