Biography
Sophie Roske, charged under the name Nicholas John Roske, traveled from California to Maryland in June 2022 intending to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Prosecutors said Roske was motivated by the leaked draft of the Dobbs abortion ruling and fears that the Court would loosen gun restrictions and later threaten same-sex marriage. After arriving near Kavanaugh’s home with a pistol and burglary tools, Roske walked away, called 911, disclosed the plan, and surrendered before entering the property or confronting the justice. Roske remained in federal custody from June 8, 2022, pleaded guilty without a plea agreement on April 8, 2025, and was sentenced on October 3, 2025 to 97 months in prison and lifetime supervised release. The Justice Department appealed the sentence as too lenient. Roske remained imprisoned while the appeal was pending in 2026.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice — guilty plea, offense facts, 97-month sentence, and lifetime supervision
- Associated Press — April 8, 2025 guilty plea and political motives described in court
- Associated Press — October 3, 2025 sentence, surrender, custody, and transgender identity
- The Washington Post — June 2026 government appeal seeking a longer sentence
