Rep. Angie Craig's attacker sentenced to 27 months in prison

Nov. 17 (UPI) -- The man who followed representative Angie Craig, D-Minn., into the elevator of her apartment building and assaulted her in February was sentenced to more than two years in prison.

U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg sentenced Kendrid Khalil Hamlin, 26, to 27 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release.

In June, Kendrid Khalil Hamlin pleaded guilty to one count of assault on a Congress member and two additional charges of assault on a law enforcement officer. Prosecutors had asked the court to sentence Hamlin to 39 months.

Court documents show that Hamlin cornered Craig in the elevator and that he assaulted police officers as he tried to leave the scene.

"Mr. Hamlin trapped me inside. He grabbed my neck and slammed me into the steel wall. He punched me in the face," Craig wrote in her victim impact statement. "He attempted to pull me back in as the doors opened, and I screamed for help."

Craig said that though her injuries were light, bruising, a cut lip, and soreness, the attack has had lasting impact on her mental health.

"While my physical recovery was days, my mental and emotional recovery has taken much longer and is ongoing. My sense of safety and security has been significantly impacted," Craig said.

Craig also said her family was impacted by the assault and subsequent press coverage.

"This assault has also had a lasting impact on my family. My wife and four sons continue to be concerned for my safety both generally -- and specifically due to the attention to public safety my assault subsequently received in the press,"

Authorities say they do not have any indication that Craig was targeted due to the fact that she is a member of Congress.

Hamlin's attorneys said he suffers from mental health problems and was off his medication when the assault occurred.