NextFin news, Federal prosecutors on Sunday, September 21, 2025, filed a sentencing recommendation seeking a prison term of 30 years to life for Nicholas Roske, the man who plotted to kill U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022.
Roske, 29, traveled from California to the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., armed with a handgun, ammunition, zip ties, a crowbar, and duct tape, intending to assassinate Justice Kavanaugh at his residence. He was arrested early on June 8, 2022, after calling 911 and surrendering without violence, following persuasion from his sister.
Prosecutors characterized Roske's actions as domestic terrorism, stating he posed a "very real threat to life" and aimed to "alter an entire branch of the United States government through violence." They noted that Roske had researched multiple Supreme Court justices and intended to kill up to three, although only Kavanaugh was named in court filings.
Roske pleaded guilty in April 2025 to the assassination attempt. His defense attorneys disclosed that he now identifies as transgender and uses the name Sophie. They requested an eight-year sentence, citing his struggles with gender identity and mental health, including medication effects at the time of the incident.
In a handwritten letter filed with the court, Roske expressed remorse for the distress caused to Justice Kavanaugh and his family, stating, "I am very glad I did not continue." The Justice Department, however, emphasized that mental illness did not excuse the crime and highlighted a subsequent wave of threats against judges linked to the case.
U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman, based in Greenbelt, Maryland, is scheduled to sentence Roske on October 3, 2025. Prosecutors indicated that a victim impact statement may be submitted before the hearing.
Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned Roske's actions as "an attack on the entire judicial system that cannot go unpunished."
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