A Massachusetts man admitted to plotting violence at the U.S. Capitol and pleaded guilty to firearms and weapons charges after offering to turn himself in, leading federal prosecutors and Capitol Police to move forward with a case that underscores the need to protect public servants and the confirmation process.
Ryan Michael English, 24, of South Deerfield, Massachusetts, entered a guilty plea in federal court to counts tied to unlawful firearm possession and carrying a weapon on Capitol grounds. The charges stem from actions and admissions that federal authorities say were aimed at harming public officials and disrupting government functions. The plea puts the case on track for sentencing later this year.
According to court filings, English acknowledged traveling to Washington, D.C., with plans that included attacking or killing specific individuals and targeting a national conservative organization. The documents list Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and House Speaker Mike Johnson among the potential targets, and they name the Heritage Foundation as another potential target. Those allegations drove the urgency of the arrest and prosecution.
English pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras 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 the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Judge Contreras set sentencing for August 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., which will determine the federal penalties for the admitted conduct. Prosecutors have framed the plea as a clear enforcement of federal protections around the Capitol and its officials.
“Our system of justice depends on public officials being able to carry out their duties free from intimidation and fear,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “This defendant’s threats crossed a clear legal line, and today’s guilty plea reflects our commitment to protecting those who serve. Anyone who threatens violence against government officials will be identified, charged, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Those words were emphasized by the prosecution as part of the public announcement.
The arrest unfolded on January 27, 2025, at about 3:12 p.m., when English approached a U.S. Capitol Police officer near the South Door and stated, “I’d like to turn myself in.” Officers say English admitted to carrying a knife and two improvised incendiary devices described as Molotov cocktails. When officers searched him, they allegedly found a folding knife and two such devices in his jacket pockets.
Investigators report the incendiary devices were made from 50 milliliter vodka bottles with cloth wicks affixed to the tops, and authorities recovered a green lighter from another pocket. Those items, combined with English’s statements about intended targets, formed the basis for the federal weapons counts. The physical evidence and the defendant’s admissions are central to the case against him.
During the search and questioning, English reportedly confessed he had come to the Capitol with the intention of killing a presidential nominee whose confirmation vote was taking place that day in the Senate. Police also recovered a handwritten note addressed to a roommate that read in part, “This is terrible but I cant do nothing while nazis kill my sisters…Im so sorry for lying and plotting and lying.” That note was cited by prosecutors as evidence of motive and state of mind.
The investigation was led by the U.S. Capitol Police Department, and the prosecution is being handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan, detailed from the United States Capitol Police, alongside Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf. Chief Michael G. Sullivan of the U.S. Capitol Police also joined in the announcement, underscoring coordination between law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Officials portrayed the case as an example of identification and swift action when threats to government operations and personnel emerge.
The guilty plea stops short of a trial and allows federal authorities to proceed toward sentencing while avoiding a prolonged court fight. With sentencing set for August, the court will weigh the admitted facts, the seriousness of the alleged plan, and federal sentencing guidelines. The case serves as a reminder that threats against public officials carry serious federal consequences and will be pursued by prosecutors.
