Two teenagers who attacked a former federal staffer and others in a violent night near the U Street corridor of Washington, DC, last August have been sentenced to probation, not jail. The 15-year-olds—a boy and a girl—pleaded guilty to various charges from the attempted carjacking of Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old tech worker, and a separate robbery and assault at a gas station just minutes apart, the Washington Post. Coristine is a former DOGE employee known online as "Big Balls."
"The two of you were together with a larger group of younger people who decided to basically terrorize U Street," Judge Kendra D. Briggs told the teens. The incidents caught national attention after President Trump posted a photo of a bloodied Coristine and threatened federal intervention, ultimately putting DC police under temporary federal control and dispatching the National Guard. Neither of the teens, who both live in Maryland, will serve time behind bars. Instead, they must complete 90 hours of community service, have no contact with each other, and wear ankle monitors. They were also barred from visiting DC except for school and family obligations, WUSA9 reports.
The court also ordered drug testing and treatment for the girl, whose lawyer said she had "seen a positive change just in the time that I have known her," with progress in school attendance and volunteering. The boy, whose involvement included kicking a victim at the gas station, breaking his rib, was described as remorseful and "on a new path—one that's not criminal or violent." Briggs noted that they were charged in juvenile court, where the goal is rehabilitation, not punishment." The victims who spoke in court, including a woman who was with Coristine, asked the teens to consider the consequences of their actions.
story continues below
The decision was strongly criticized by some Trump administration figures, including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the Post reports. "One of the big issues in DC is these juveniles, they just get a slap on the wrist," she said Wednesday. In a post on X, Coristine noted that only two of the 10 attackers had been caught. "That night could've gone far differently. Think of your daughters and mothers," he said. "The same group attacked people before and after us, breaking ribs and stomping heads."