A man who plotted to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was sentenced Friday to eight years in prison, sparking national debate due to the case’s political and gender identity dimensions. The defendant, previously Nicholas Roske and now identifying as Sophie Roske, pleaded guilty to attempting to assassinate Kavanaugh. Prosecutors said Roske was enraged by a leaked Supreme Court draft indicating plans to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Roske traveled to the justice’s Maryland home in 2022 with weapons and burglary tools, intending to carry out the attack. However, upon seeing U.S. marshals outside, Roske abandoned the plan and called authorities to confess. In court, Roske expressed remorse, citing mental health struggles and difficulty reconciling gender identity with a conservative upbringing.

U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman sentenced Roske to 97 months in prison and lifetime supervised release, a sentence closer to the defense’s request of eight years than the prosecution’s demand of 30 years. In her ruling, Boardman noted Roske’s decision to self-report as evidence he did not pose the danger prosecutors claimed. She also acknowledged potential challenges Roske might face as a transgender inmate.

Attorney General Pam Bondi called the sentence “woefully insufficient” and announced the Justice Department would appeal. Prosecutors argued Roske was fully prepared to carry out the assassination and had planned it for months, targeting Kavanaugh after researching multiple justices.

In a letter to the court, Roske apologized, saying the plan did not reflect who he is and that he now wants to “see what good I can do in the world.” He expressed relief that he chose not to follow through with the plot and asked for a second chance to rebuild his life.