Washington, D.C. — A Washington man who hurled a sandwich at a federal agent during protests over Donald Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in the capital has been acquitted of assaulting a U.S. officer.
After a three-day trial in federal court, Sean Dunn, a former U.S. Department of Justice staffer, was found not guilty of misdemeanor assault and impeding a federal officer. The verdict ended a case that underscored ongoing tensions in Washington following Trump’s deployment of federal agents and National Guard units to reduce crime in 2025.
“I am so happy that justice prevails,” Dunn said outside the courthouse. “That night, I believed I was protecting the rights of immigrants.”
The Incident
The confrontation unfolded on August 10, 2025, when Dunn was captured on video confronting officers in a nightlife district, shouting “fascists” before tossing a sub-style sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent.
Agent Gregory Lairmore, a 23-year veteran, testified that the sandwich “left onions on my radio antenna and smelled faintly of mustard,” but said he was not injured.
Prosecutors argued that Dunn’s act constituted interference with law enforcement operations. Dunn’s attorney, Sabrina Shroff, countered that the throw was a “harmless act of frustration” and “not capable of harming anyone wearing a ballistic vest.”
During the trial, jurors laughed as Shroff referenced jokes made among officers after the incident — including a patch labeled “Felony Footlong.”
The Trial and Verdict
Federal prosecutors initially sought felony charges, but a grand jury declined to indict — an uncommon move that forced the U.S. Attorney’s Office to downgrade the case to a misdemeanor.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael DiLorenzo argued that Dunn crossed a line, saying, “Free speech does not give you the right to strike another person — even with a sandwich.”
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Trump ally, issued a statement after the acquittal: “Law enforcement should never be subjected to assault, no matter how minor. Even children know they cannot throw objects in anger.”
Still, the jury’s verdict marked another setback for the Trump administration’s crackdown on demonstrations in the city. Several related cases have failed to secure indictments, reflecting skepticism from both grand juries and trial jurors over the administration’s handling of protest-related prosecutions.
Political and Public Reaction
The August deployment of federal agents in Washington — part of Trump’s broader crime initiative — had sharply divided the city. Supporters credited the effort with reducing some violent crime, while critics said the show of force intimidated residents and criminalized dissent.
Dunn, once a midlevel Justice Department employee working on international cases, became a symbol of resistance after video of his arrest went viral. The White House shared footage of heavily armed officers detaining him, further inflaming public debate.
The acquittal is being hailed by civil liberties advocates as a small but symbolic win for protest rights in the nation’s capital.
