A Massachusetts woman who told police she brought homemade firebombs to the US Capitol to kill Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, was sentenced on Tuesday to just over six years in prison.
Riley English, 26, stated she was experiencing a mental health crisis and drug abuse when she drove to Washington in January 2025. She told Capitol police she was there to kill Bessent on the day of his Senate confirmation.
US District Judge Rudolph Contreras sentenced English to six years and one month of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. English has been jailed since her arrest and will receive credit for the nearly 20 months already spent in custody.
Prosecutors had recommended a sentence of 10 years and one month, with Assistant US Attorney Brendan Horan describing English's actions as an "attempted political assassination" planned for at least a month. However, Judge Contreras noted that Bessent was not at the Capitol when English arrived on 27 January 2025, and her plan had an "exceedingly low or nonexistent" chance of success, as the molotov cocktails appeared incapable of igniting.
Defense attorney Maria Jacob argued English was in a "diminished mental state," terrified by fears for transgender people under the second Trump administration. English told officers she was terminally ill and "wanted to do something before I go," and that she was influenced by Luigi Mangione, who was charged with fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.