Nationwide — Anthony J. Kazmierczak, the man who sprayed Rep. Ilhan Omar with apple cider vinegar at a Minneapolis town hall, has been sentenced to 14 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to assault. The 56-year-old will also spend two years on supervised release following his prison term. The sentence stems from a January confrontation in which Kazmierczak approached Omar while she was speaking and sprayed her with a mixture of vinegar and water.
Security guards quickly tackled Kazmierczak after he moved toward Omar with a syringe. Prosecutors said the syringe contained apple cider vinegar and water, which he sprayed at the congresswoman during the event. Omar was not physically injured. The town hall focused on immigration enforcement in Minnesota and included Omar’s calls for the resignation of Kristi Noem, who was serving as Homeland Security secretary at the time.
Kazmierczak pleaded guilty to the federal assault charge in May, according to the New York Times. His lawyers asked the court for an eight-month sentence, but he received 14 months instead. Court records show that the federal sentence also includes two years of supervised release. His attorney, John Fossum, said the sentence was more than the defense had requested but was still within a range the lawyers had considered possible.
Federal prosecutors called the attack a serious offense and raised concerns about political violence. Court records also describe Kazmierczak’s political activity before the town hall. He had made posts expressing anger toward Democrats and showed support online for President Donald Trump and other conservative figures. Before the event, he reportedly told a neighbor that he could be arrested while attending the town hall.
Omar has represented Minneapolis in Congress since 2018 and has faced repeated public criticism from Trump. Shortly before the January confrontation, Trump mentioned Omar during a rally in Iowa while speaking about immigrants and their attitudes toward the United States. After Kazmierczak’s sentencing, Omar thanked the prosecutors and judge for holding him accountable. She also said that political violence and threats are never acceptable.
Kazmierczak’s federal sentence may not resolve all of the charges against him. He still faces a separate case in Hennepin County involving one felony count of making violent threats and a misdemeanor assault charge. Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesman for the county prosecutor’s office, said officials are reviewing the federal case and guilty plea before deciding whether to move forward with the state prosecution.