DOJ Seeks 30-Year Sentence for Attempted Kavanaugh Assassin

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2025 - U.S. prosecutors filed a sentencing memorandum Friday asking a federal judge to impose at least 30 years in prison for Sophie Roske, who pleaded guilty to attempting to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in June 2022. The memo outlines extensive premeditation and characterizes the plot as domestic terrorism.

Nut Graf The Justice Department’s filing underscores the seriousness of Roske’s actions-traveling cross-country armed with a firearm, ammunition and tools to kill Kavanaugh and two other justices-and contends the offense struck “at the core of the United States Constitution,” warranting the harshest penalty available.

Key Developments

Sentencing Request
Prosecutors urged a sentence of 30 years to life, citing Roske’s “cold-blooded murder” scheme and terrorism enhancement.
They detailed her online research into killing methods, body armor, home addresses of four justices and plans to delete digital evidence.
Gender Identity Disclosure
Court filings reveal Roske now identifies as female and requests use of the name Sophie and female pronouns, though no legal name change has been entered.
Attorney General’s Statement
AG Pam Bondi condemned the plot as “an attack on the entire judicial system” and vowed that “political violence” would be met with severe punishment.

Background and Evidence

Roske, then known as Nicholas Roske, flew from California to Maryland on June 7, 2022, carrying a Glock 17 pistol, two loaded magazines, a knife, lock picks, a hammer, crowbar, duct tape and hiking boots modified to muffle footsteps. After U.S. Marshals were spotted outside Kavanaugh’s Chevy Chase residence, Roske called 911, surrendered and later admitted intent “to kill [the justice] and then myself.”

Federal prosecutors highlighted Discord messages Roske posted in May 2022 expressing fury over the expected overturning of Roe v. Wade and concern that replacing conservative justices would shift the Court’s ideological balance for decades. A map in her Google account marked what she believed were four justices’ home locations.

Defense attorneys are seeking an eight-year term, citing Roske’s mental health struggles and self-reporting to authorities as mitigating factors. Roske is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3.

Broader Implications

The attempted assassination intensified concerns over threats to the judiciary. Chief Justice John Roberts warned last year of rising intimidation against judges, and Congress recently approved a $28 million budget increase for Supreme Court security. Justice Amy Coney Barrett and other federal judges have also reported escalating threats since 2022.