Man who attacked Muslim lawmaker in Connecticut sentenced to 5 years in prison

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A man who attacked a Muslim state representative outside a prayer service in Connecticut was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for attempted sexual assault and other crimes, a sentence the legislator had previously deemed too lenient.

Andrey Desmond, 31, was sentenced in Hartford Superior Court in connection with the June 2023 assault on Rep. Maryam Khan, the first Muslim to serve in the state House of Representatives. Desmond pleaded guilty in April to third-degree attempted sexual assault, first-degree attempted strangulation and risk of injury to a minor — all felonies.

After his prison term, Desmond must serve parole, register as a sex offender and undergo mental health treatment.

Desmond's public defender, John Stawicki, said in court that Desmond regretted his actions and suffered from mental illness, including schizophrenia. Desmond said “the events that occurred were beyond my control. I had no self-control.

Khan, a Democrat from the Hartford suburb of Windsor, said in a statement that the assault “exposed serious gaps in our mental health care system and in the safety and protection of victims.”

“What happened to me just over a year ago was tragic and will leave a mark on my life and the lives of everyone involved,” Khan said. “But I am proud to see some semblance of justice today. It's important to note that what happened that day is far more common than we would like to admit.

Court records show Desmond, who lived in New Britain, has a history of mental illness. After a court-ordered evaluation, he was found competent to stand trial.

Khan had called for hate crime charges. She was attacked while attending a service at Hartford's XL Center arena with her family to mark Eid al-Adha, the end of the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

She said she and her family, including her 15-year-old daughter, were taking photos outside the arena when Desmond approached and said he was “planning to have some sexual relations” with one of them.

Desmond then followed them inside and Khan said he began chasing her in particular, grabbing her face and shirt and demanding a kiss. He followed her outside and tried to grab her face again, she said, and became angry when she “dodged” him. She said he slapped her in the face and then “choked” her, raising his hand and imitating having a gun before knocking her to the ground.

Khan said she was diagnosed with a concussion and injured her right arm and shoulder.

The Associated Press generally does not identify people who report attempted sexual assault unless they publicly identify themselves, as Khan did.

Desmond was chased and detained by two passers-by until police arrived and arrested him. One of the bystanders, a military veteran, was charged with misdemeanor assault and was approved for a pretrial diversion program that will expunge the charge.

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