Massachusetts Resident Sentenced in Attempt to Assassinate Cabinet Member Nominee at the U.S. Capitol

WASHINGTON - Ryan Michael English, 24, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 73 months in prison in connection with an attempt to assassinate then-cabinet member nominee Scott Bessent with Molotov cocktails fashioned from bottles of vodka, and for carrying a folding knife onto the Grounds of the Capitol, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. 

"My office will not tolerate attempts to intimidate or harm public officials that strike at the heart of our democratic process and are antithetical to the values we all depend on," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "The defendant is now a convicted felon and is headed where he belongs: prison."

            English, aka "Raleigh Jane English," pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras to one count of unlawful receipt, possession, and/or transfer of a firearm and one count of carrying a firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive, or incendiary device on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. In addition to the 73-month prison term, Judge Contreras ordered English to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 121 months.

            According to court documents, at about 3:12 p.m., on Jan. 27, 2025, English approached a U.S. Capitol Police Officer near the South Door of the Capitol Building and stated "I'd like to turn myself in." English further admitted to possessing a knife and two "Molotov Cocktails." 

            Officers searched English and recovered a folding knife, as well as two improvised incendiary devices from his jacket pockets. Each device was constructed of a 50-milliliter bottle of Absolut vodka with a grey strip of cloth affixed to its top. The cloth had been soaked with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Police recovered a green lighter from another pocket.  

            During the search, English confessed to being at the Capitol to kill a cabinet member nominee whose confirmation vote was scheduled that day before the U.S. Senate. Police recovered a note to a roommate in English's pocket that said, in part, "This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters…Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying." 

            English admitted to traveling to the District of Columbia with the intention of killing a government official or burning down a think-tank based in Washington, D.C.  

In a search of English's car, which English had parked on the 900 block of Independence Ave., SE, police recovered a 750-milliliter bottle of 100 proof vodka and a grey sweatshirt with fabric cut from the sleeves.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Chief Michael G. Sullivan of the U.S. Capitol Police.  

            This case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan, who is detailed to the U.S. Attorney's Office from the United States Capitol Police, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf. 

25cr134 

Contact

[email protected]

Follow us on XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., InstagramLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., and YouTubeLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.

Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc