Massachusetts Woman Sentenced to 6 Years in Capitol Firebomb Plot Targeting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

A federal judge sentenced 26-year-old Massachusetts resident Riley English to six years and one month in prison on Tuesday after she brought homemade firebombs to the U.S. Capitol in a planned attempt to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Contreras, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, sentenced English to six years and one month of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. English has remained jailed since her arrest and will get credit for the nearly 20 months that she already has spent in custody. She pleaded guilty in March to two weapons charges.

The arrest occurred on Jan. 27, 2025, when English approached officers at the Capitol complex on the day of Bessent’s Senate confirmation. Law enforcement officers searching her possession recovered a folding knife, two homemade firebombs, and a lighter. Bessent was not at the Capitol at the time of her arrival, and court proceedings confirmed the devices were incapable of igniting.

Nobody was injured, and U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras said her plan to harm Bessent had an “exceedingly low or non-existent” chance of success. Addressing the court during sentencing, Contreras noted that there was no indication English was acting rationally that day, adding, “You’ve had a very difficult life. Hopefully, the progress you’ve made in jail to this date has set you on the right path.”

Prosecutors had recommended a prison sentence of 10 years and one month for English. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan said English had been planning the “attempted political assassination” for at least a month at a time when the threat of politically motivated violence has been mounting in the U.S.

Detailing the timeline of the attack, Horan told the court, “This was not a chance encounter or an impulsive act.” Federal prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia stated that English, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, had initially targeted other Republican political figures, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as the Heritage Foundation, before shifting her focus to Bessent after reading an internet post about his confirmation hearing.

Following her arrest, English told police officers that she was “on a mission” and had been influenced by Luigi Mangione, the man charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Officer Brian Thompson in December 2024. Prosecutors said English told investigators she was terminally ill and “wanted to do something before I go,” believing her actions were tied to that timeline.

In a written statement submitted to the judge, Bessent warned of the growing impact of targeted threats against public officials, writing that political violence represents an attack on the rule of law and deprives the country of dedicated public servants. Bessent stated in his letter that he worries the nation “cannot survive this assault.”

Defense attorney Maria Jacob argued that English was suffering from a severe mental health crisis and drug abuse when she drove to Washington. Jacob explained that English, a transgender woman, was “terrified and traumatized” by fears regarding transgender policy under the second Trump administration, describing the incident as “a cry for help” from a person operating in a diminished mental state.

Speaking directly to Judge Contreras before sentence was passed, English expressed remorse for her actions. “I never wanted to hurt anyone,” English said. “I’m not a political person. I’m not a violent person.”