HARTFORD, Conn. — 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 punishment the lawmaker previously said was too lenient. .
Andrey Desmond, 31, was sentenced in Hartford Superior Court in connection with the June 2023 assault of Rep. Maryam Khan, the first Muslim to serve in the state House of Representatives.
Desmond pleaded guilty in April to attempted third-degree sexual assault, attempted first-degree strangulation and risk of injury to a minor, all felonies.
After the prison time, Desmond must serve probation, register as a sex offender and receive mental health treatment.
Andrey Desmond.WVIT
Desmond’s public defender, John Stawicki, said in court that Desmond regretted his actions and has struggled with mental illnesses, including schizophrenia. Desmond said: “The events that happened 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 “highlighted serious gaps in our mental health care system and in the safety and security of victims.”
“What happened to me a little 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 is important to note that what happened that day is much 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 declared competent to stand trial.
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Khan had called for hate crime charges to be filed. She was attacked after attending a service at the XL Center stadium in Hartford 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 “intended to have sex” with one of them.
Rep. Maryam Khan, surrounded by friends, family and fellow lawmakers, at a news conference in Hartford, Connecticut, in 2023. Susan Haigh/KeynoteUSA File
Desmond then followed them inside, and Khan said he began pursuing her in particular, grabbing her face and shirt and demanding a kiss. He followed her outside and tried to grab her face again, he said, and became angry at her when she “dodged” him. She said he slapped her and then choked her, raising her hand and pretending she had a gun before slamming her to the ground.
Khan said he was diagnosed with a concussion and injured his right arm and shoulder.
The KeynoteUSA generally does not identify people who report attempted sexual assault unless they identify themselves publicly, as Khan has done.
Desmond was chased and held by two bystanders 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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