Local Assistant U.S. Attorney Pleads Guilty To Illegally Steering Contracts To Her Spouse

March 30, 2023

An Assistant U.S. Attorney in Pensacola has pleaded guilty to illegally steering contracts to her spouse, in violation of the federal criminal conflict of interest statute.

According to court documents, 55-year old Kathryn Drey, 55 directed contracts from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida to companies in which her spouse had a financial interest, including while she served as chief of the office’s Civil Division. Drey concealed her spouse’s financial interest in contracts to conduct title searches in litigation defended by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Kathryn Drey committed a federal crime by enriching her family at the expense of her duty to the American people,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable public servants who act with unlawful conflicts of interest, prioritizing financial gain over their ethical duties.”

Drey pleaded guilty to one count of acting with a conflict of interest. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 28 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“The public trusts Department of Justice employees to act with the highest integrity. Instead, Drey acted in her own self-interest to improperly profit from her official position,” said Special Agent in Charge James F. Boyersmith of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG) Miami Field Office. “DOJ-OIG is committed to rooting out this kind of egregious misconduct and bringing perpetrators to justice.”

Comments

2 Responses to “Local Assistant U.S. Attorney Pleads Guilty To Illegally Steering Contracts To Her Spouse”

  1. Beach Boy on March 30th, 2023 9:39 am

    Throw the book at her!!! She of all people should know better, so she needs to be made an example. A crime such as this to expected by some people…..BUT NOT an Assistant U.S. Attorney!!

  2. Matt on March 30th, 2023 9:25 am

    Sick and tired of these people getting away with EVERYTHING! If you work in government justice system whatever you should be held to a higher standard and unfortunately this country is falling to shit because they are all corrupt and allowed to get away with everything! If this were a regular citizen you best believe they would be locked up as they await their trial and they would get a minimum 5 years behind bars! It’s up to the American people to come together and abolish this corruption-this is our country NO WHERE does it say these government people should get special treatment-and unfortunately they think they can do whatever they wish because they have money and power so they control us- but we have 200 million strong and if we must use force to take back what is ours then we will…I say 200 million because I don’t count the illegals that these corrupt government people have allowed to come into our country illegally and live on our hard earned dime!