Nicholas Roske (Sophie Roske) Kavanaugh Assassination Attempt Sentencing (2025)

Nicholas Roske (Sophie Roske) Kavanaugh Assassination Attempt Sentencing (2025) — The person convicted of plotting to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh received an 8-year sentence—below federal guidelines—from Judge Deborah Boardman, who cited the defendant's decision to turn herself in and her transgender identity.

Summary

In June 2022, Nicholas Roske—armed with a gun, knife, pepper spray, and zip ties—arrived outside the Chevy Chase, Maryland home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the middle of the night. Roske called 911 himself and turned himself in to police. He was charged with attempting to murder a Supreme Court justice, a federal crime carrying potential sentences well above what was ultimately imposed.

In September 2025, Roske came out as a transgender woman, choosing the name Sophie for court communications. Roske pleaded guilty to the attempted assassination without a plea agreement. On October 3, 2025, U.S. District Court Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Sophie Roske to 97 months (approximately 8 years and 1 month) in prison, plus a lifetime of supervised release. The sentence was substantially below federal sentencing guidelines. Judge Boardman cited Roske's decision to turn herself in to police as significant mitigation, and NBC News reported that Boardman also took into consideration the fact that Roske would be housed in a male-only Bureau of Prisons facility.

Critics, including Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino, condemned the sentence as dangerously lenient in the context of rising political violence. Severino stated: "Judge Boardman's explanation for granting Roske leniency is absurd—so, claiming you are transgender gets you less time in prison? That's a great incentive program. What an outrageously dangerous signal to send as political violence is on the rise. This sentence is a disgrace." The case became a focal point in debates over judicial discretion in politically sensitive cases.

Key Details

Date: Original incident June 8, 2022; Guilty plea 2025; Sentencing October 3, 2025
Location: Chevy Chase, Maryland (scene); U.S. District Court, District of Maryland (court)
Key People: Sophie Roske (formerly Nicholas Roske, defendant); Judge Deborah L. Boardman (U.S. District Court, MD); Justice Brett Kavanaugh (target); Carrie Severino (JCN President, critic)
Outcome: 97 months prison + lifetime supervised release; sentence below federal guidelines; housed in male-only BOP facility

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