Overview

• U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman sentenced Nicholas Roske, who goes by Sophie, to 97 months in federal prison and imposed lifetime supervised release.
• Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department will appeal, calling the punishment “woefully insufficient” for the 2022 attempt on Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
• Prosecutors had sought at least 30 years, while the defense requested eight years, and the judge concluded Roske no longer poses the same danger after treatment and cooperation.
• In detailing mitigation, the court referenced Roske’s remorse, early 911 call and abandonment of the plan, mental-health treatment, and concerns about access to gender-affirming care under federal custody policies, including a Trump executive order.
• Conservative commentators denounced the sentence as too lenient and criticized media and legal references to Roske’s gender identity, which varies across outlets and filings.