Federal prosecutors announced on Friday that the individual who unlawfully entered former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s residence in 2022 and assaulted her husband with a hammer has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
In the predawn hours of October 28, 2022, David DePape forcibly entered Pelosi’s residence in San Francisco, occurring merely a week before the congressional elections. During the incident, Pelosi, then holding the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, was situated in Washington.
During trial testimony, DePape, reportedly influenced by far-right conspiracy theories associated with QAnon, admitted that his intent was to take Pelosi hostage.
Paul Pelosi, aged 82, sustained skull fractures and other injuries during the attack, as detailed in a letter he submitted to the judge prior to sentencing. Alongside ongoing dizziness and the presence of a metal plate in his head, Pelosi disclosed his struggles with balance and permanent nerve damage in his left hand.
In her own correspondence to the judge, Nancy Pelosi, the first woman elected as House Speaker and a Democrat, urged a “very long” sentence for DePape.
Federal prosecutors had sought a 40-year prison term for DePape, a Canadian national residing unlawfully in the U.S. They argued that although he was not convicted of a terrorism offense, his actions aligned with the definition, aiming to impact the government through “intimidation or coercion.” Prosecutors also noted DePape’s lack of remorse.
DePape’s court-appointed defense attorney had requested a 14-year sentence, citing his client’s turbulent life leading up to the attack, including an abusive relationship.
DePape still faces state charges related to the Pelosi break-in and assault, including attempted murder, which carry a potential sentence of 13 years to life imprisonment. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges.
A spokesperson for Pelosi issued a statement following the sentencing, expressing pride in the courage displayed by the Pelosi family patriarch, referred to affectionately as “Pop,” for his actions during the attack and his testimony in the case.