Fury Erupts Over Sentence in Bessent Assassination Plot

A federal judge has handed down a sentence of 63 months in prison to Riley Jane English, a transgender individual also identified in records as Ryan Michael English, for crimes connected to an attempted assassination plot targeting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The relatively light term has triggered widespread criticism.

English, 25, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and carrying a dangerous weapon or explosive device on U.S. Capitol grounds. Prosecutors had sought 121 months. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras imposed the shorter sentence followed by three years of supervised release.

On January 27, 2025 — the day Bessent was confirmed — English traveled to Washington with a knife and two Molotov cocktails made from vodka bottles. English approached a Capitol Police officer and stated, “I was going to kill Scott Bessent.” When asked for confirmation, the response was “Yes, sir.”

BREAKING: A transgender defendant convicted of crimes connected to an attempted assassination of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been sentenced to 6 years in federal prison.

Bessent previously said the plot unfolded just two hours after he was sworn into office, citing the… pic.twitter.com/dHGiTa6X0U

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English had considered other targets including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and had thought about burning down the Heritage Foundation. A handwritten note recovered by investigators partially read, “This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters.”

Prosecutors, led by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office, argued that public officials must be able to perform their duties free from threats and that such cases should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. The defense highlighted English’s age, identity, and claimed trauma in seeking leniency.

Bessent later noted that the plot unfolded just hours after he was sworn into office. English abandoned the plan after observing security and recognizing potential harm to others, then turned himself in.

The gap between the requested sentence and the final term has fueled public anger among those who view the case as an attempted political assassination of a senior Trump administration official. The outcome continues to draw scrutiny over how federal courts handle threats against government leaders.