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2h ago

After Grand Jury Rebuff, Prosecutors Downgrade Sean Dunn Case to Misdemeanor

The rare no-bill highlights growing setbacks for Trump’s federal deployment strategy in Washington.

Posters of a person throwing a sandwich are pictured along H Street, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 10: A man, who was later arrested. for assaulting law enforcement with a sandwich, interacts with Border Patrol and FBI agents along the U Street corridor on August 10, 2025, in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump ordered an increased presence of federal law enforcement to Washington, DC in an effort to curb crime.
FBI and Border Patrol officers arrest a man, after he assaulted law enforcement with a sandwich, along the U Street corridor during a federal law enforcement deployment to the nation's capital on Aug. 10, 2025 in Washington.

Overview

  • A Washington grand jury declined to indict Sean Charles Dunn on a felony assault charge over a sandwich thrown at a Customs and Border Protection agent.
  • Prosecutors refiled the case as simple assault, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail that does not require grand jury approval.
  • The Aug. 10 encounter in the U Street corridor was caught on video; Dunn, a former Justice Department employee, was fired by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
  • The White House and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro had publicized the arrest and felony charge in social media videos as part of a law-and-order push.
  • The refusal to indict follows other recent grand jury setbacks for federal prosecutors in D.C., and Dunn’s next court appearance is set for Sept. 4.