By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-18 17:53:05 | Updated at 2026-08-20 02:21:27
1 day ago
A transgender woman who plotted to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been jailed for six years.
Reily Jane English, 25, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, was arrested on January 27, 2025 after telling a cop outside the US Capitol: 'I was going to kill Scott Bessent.'
English, who is identified in federal records as Ryan Michael English, was armed with a folding knife and two Molotov cocktails.
US District Judge Rudolf Contreras sentenced English on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to two counts related to the attempt to kill Bessent and carrying a weapon on the grounds of the US Capitol.
Contreras, who was appointed by Barack Obama, said that 'the offense is very serious' but acknowledged that English was plagued by mental health problems.
The Justice Department had sought a sentence of 10 years, but Contreras said the range set by prosecutors was too high.
'No one was harmed,' the judge said. 'The plan was basically impossible to succeed, and she turned herself in before it came anywhere near fruition.'
English, wearing an orange jumpsuit and glasses, and mid-length blonde hair, told the court: 'I have a lot on my plate with an upcoming surgery. I want a chance to work and start a family of my own. I'm grateful for the opportunity to get sober and get right in my mind.'
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaks before President Donald Trump arrives at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga., Wednesday, July 22
The would-be assassin told investigators she was inspired by Luigi Mangione, who had shot dead a health insurance boss in New York City the month before she showed up on Capitol Hill.
English traveled from Massachusetts to Washington intending to kill a government official and burn down a think tank, according to the Justice Department.
The defendant settled on Bessent because he was being confirmed by the Senate that day as Trump's Treasury boss.
At 3.12pm, he approached a police officer near the South Door of the Capitol and said: 'I'd like to turn myself in.'
English pleaded guilty on March 26 to unlawful receipt, possession or transfer of a firearm, and carrying a firearm, dangerous weapon, explosive or incendiary device on the grounds of the US Capitol.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, announcing the sentence on Tuesday, said: '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.
'The defendant is now a convicted felon and is headed where he belongs: prison.'
