Assistant U.S. Attorney pleads guilty to conflict of interest violation, faces 5 years in prison

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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. 

According to court documents, 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.

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 DOJ-OIG is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Lauren Castaldi and Nicholas Cannon of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.


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