A grand jury in Maryland on Wednesday indicted a man from Simi Valley, who was arrested last week near the home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and allegedly admitted he had planned to kill the Justice.
Nicholas John Roske was accused in the indictment of a single charge of attempting to assassinate a Justice of the United States, an allegation that could carry a potential life sentence in prison.
The indictment also listed for forfeiture to the government items allegedly found when Roske was arrested, including a Glock 17 pistol, loaded magazines and ammunition, a flashlight and laser, tactical gear, lock picking and burglary tools, and a thermal imaging device.
NBC News reported that Roske texted his sister after arriving near Kavanaugh’s home last week, and she urged him to call 911.
“His sister did the most honorable thing, she convinced him to contact 911 in order to turn himself in and potentially get help,” Montgomery County, Maryland Police Chief Marcus Jones told NBC station WRC-TV.
“No doubt in my mind she potentially saved a life. She might have saved multiple lives, understanding what kind of confrontation could have occurred,” Jones said.
Roske was arrested after midnight June 8 about a block from Kavanaugh’s home.
According to a recording of Roske’s 911 call made public last week Roske told a dispatcher he had traveled from Simi Valley to Maryland for the purpose of murdering Kavanaugh and then killing himself.
Roske told authorities he needed psychiatric help, according to the call.
He was initially charged with attempting to murder or kidnap a judge. The indictment replaced that allegation with the attempted assassination of a justice of the United States, and Roske will appear in court in the next few days to answer the new allegation.
