An Assistant U.S. Attorney pleaded guilty yesterday to illegally steering contracts to her spouse, in violation of the federal criminal conflict of interest statute.
Kathryn Drey, 55, of Pensacola, Florida, 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 public trusts government 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 Miami Field Office.
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 U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is also investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Lauren Castaldi and Nicholas Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Kathryn Drey, 55, of Pensacola, Florida.
Criminal Charges: Acting with a conflict of interest.
City and State: Pensacola, Florida.
Exact Date: Not specified, pleading on unknown date, sentencing on June 28, 2024.
Sentence or Outcome: Faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Companies involved: Companies in which her spouse had a financial interest.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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