Would-be Bessent assassin gets 6 years in prison

English was arrested in January 2025 after he turned himself in to a Capitol Police Officer.

Published: August 18, 2026 4:04pm

A Massachusetts biological man named Ryan Michael English was sentenced to 73 months in prison after pleading guilty to several charges linked to an assassination attempt on Scott Bessent, then a nominee to serve as Treasury Secretary.

English goes by "Raleigh Jane English" and previously pleaded guilty 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 Capitol grounds.

“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,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement. “The defendant is now a convicted felon and is headed where he belongs: prison.” 

English was arrested in January 2025 after he turned himself in to a Capitol Police Officer. Authorities recovered two Molotov Cocktails and a knife from English.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent for Just the News. Follow him on X.

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