Riley English, a 26-year-old transgender woman from Massachusetts, was sentenced on Tuesday to six years and one month in prison for bringing homemade firebombs to the US Capitol with the intent to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The sentence, handed down by US District Judge Rudolph Contreras, includes three years of supervised release. English has been in custody since her arrest in January 2025 and will receive credit for the nearly 20 months already served.
Details of the Plot
English traveled from South Deerfield, Massachusetts, to Washington on January 27, 2025, the day of Bessent's Senate confirmation hearing. She told Capitol police that she intended to kill Bessent, but the treasury secretary was not present at the Capitol at the time. Investigators found a folding knife, two homemade firebombs, and a lighter in her possession.
According to prosecutors, English said she was influenced by Luigi Mangione, the man charged with fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, and that she was "on a mission." She also stated she was terminally ill and "wanted to do something before I go." Police reported that English initially planned to target other Republican figures, including Pete Hegseth and Mike Johnson, and to burn down the Heritage Foundation, but changed her target to Bessent after reading an internet post about his confirmation hearing.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
In court, English said she was in the grips of a mental health crisis and abusing drugs at the time. "I never wanted to hurt anyone," she told the judge. "I'm not a political person. I'm not a violent person." Her defense attorney, Maria Jacob, argued that English was "terrified and traumatized" by fears for transgender people under the second Trump administration and that she was in a "diminished mental state." Jacob described English's actions as "a cry for help."
Judge Contreras, nominated by Barack Obama, noted that English's plan had an "exceedingly low or nonexistent" chance of success, as the firebombs appeared incapable of igniting. He acknowledged her difficult life, saying, "Hopefully, the progress you've made in jail to this date has set you on the right path." Prosecutors had recommended a 10-year and one-month sentence, but the judge imposed a shorter term.
Impact and Aftermath
Assistant US Attorney Brendan Horan emphasized that this was "not a chance encounter or an impulsive act," but a planned "attempted political assassination" at a time of rising politically motivated violence. No one was injured in the incident. English's sentence reflects the court's consideration of her mental state and the low likelihood of success, while still holding her accountable for the serious nature of the threat.
