Man who attacked Muslim lawmaker outside prayer service sentenced to prison

The Connecticut man who attacked a Muslim state lawmaker outside of a prayer service last summer was sentenced to five years in prison Tuesday, according to state court records.

Andrey Desmond, 31, was sentenced to five years in Hartford Superior Court for attempted sexual assault, strangulation and risk of injury to a minor for attacking state Rep. Maryam Khan (D) outside of an Eid al-Adha service in June 2023.

Khan alleged Desmond made sexual advances towards her and her daughters, before slapping her, putting her in a chokehold and throwing her against the ground. The attack left with a concussion and an injured right arm and shoulder, she said.

Following Tuesday’s sentencing, Khan said she was relieved the situation was resolved.

“I’m glad that this has come to a close, I look forward to putting this behind me and moving forward,” Khan said, per NBC News Connecticut.

Desmond pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year and his attorney in court said his client has since been placed on medication for schizophrenia and other mental health disorders, according to court video from Fox 61.

“He’s very regretful for what happened. He’s extremely regretful. He is so sorry that he caused pain for the totally decompensated that schizophrenia had taken over,” his defense attorney reportedly said.

Khan said Tuesday that the case underscores the issues within the mental health system.

“Unfortunately, this is a result of some of those lacks so I’m glad to be in a position to have the ability to be able to do some stuff about that,” Khan said, per the local NBC outlet.

Shortly after the incident last year, Khan, who was the first Muslim to be elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives, called for a hate crime investigation to be opened into the incident.

At the time, she also accused the police of downplaying the attack, saying it was much more violent than what was described in the police report.

“All I keep thinking in these last few days is what happens to women in the city of Hartford that call the police when they are assaulted, when they experience what I experienced, when they experience sexual assault, when they experience physical assault,” she said last July. “I knew in that moment my body went numb, and I thought I was going to die.”

In the end, the prosecutor added felony charges, but did not file hate crime allegations demanded by the lawmaker’s supporters.

The Hill reached out to Khan’s office for further comment.