Trans woman sentenced to 63 months for Capitol plot targeting a government official

Riley Jane English, a transgender woman, was sentenced to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during his confirmation at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 27, 2025, and to carrying a dangerous weapon. Prosecutors sought at least 10 years; U.S. District Judge Rudolf Contreras imposed the sentence, noting that no one was harmed and that mitigating factors applied. English traveled from Massachusetts with a knife and two Molotov cocktails, had considered other targets, and will receive credit for about 20 months already served plus three years of probation. The defense asked for placement in a female facility; English reportedly has serious mental health and substance-use issues, and a handwritten note indicated remorse.