WASHINGTON – This guy’s gotten quite the reputation after tossing a sub sandwich at a federal officer, and he’s got a few nicknames floating around like Hoagie Hoister or Prosciutto Pitcher. But one thing’s for sure: Sean Charles Dunn won’t face felony charges.
Federal prosecutors clearly struck out when they tried to persuade a grand jury to bring felony charges against Dunn. He’s alleged to have thrown a sandwich at a Customs and Border Patrol officer, making headlines just after an August 10 incident that played out right in the heart of the nation’s capital, and amidst Trump’s stringent crackdown on crime.
The grand jury decided not to proceed with an indictment, as reported by The New York Times and Associated Press. Their July 27 refusal goes viral as the video of the toss and the following chase by federal agents drew the world’s attention, becoming somewhat of a symbol in Trump’s push for strict crime policies in D.C.
After his arrest, Dunn, who worked as an international affairs specialist with the Justice Department, lost his job immediately. His attorney, Sabrina Schoff, couldn’t provide any details when asked; she was in court at the time and hadn’t received news of the grand jury’s decision.
More reportings: Headlines have buzzed about Trump’s call for capital punishment for serious offenses in D.C., but all eyes are now on Dunn’s crazy sandwich saga.
This whole situation isn’t just about Dunn and his sandwich, though. This grand jury’s ‘no bill’ decision is part of a larger trend in which District residents and courts are pushing back against Trump’s attempts to influence local governance. Earlier in August, Trump labelled the city a crime emergency, deploying law enforcement agencies with expanded authority to patrol the streets—resulting in over 1,000 arrests.
Among those involved, Jeanine Pirro, appointed by Trump as D.C.’s top federal prosecutor, has declared that her office would aggressively pursue the most serious charges possible. Pirro insisted, “We’re backing the boys in blue to the hilt,” indicating some unbending commitment to law enforcement.
Thinking the sandwich throw deserves a felony charges? Think again.
The significance of the grand jury can’t be overstated; it’s designed to help prevent overzealous prosecutorial practices. It’s rare for a jury to decline to issue the indictments requested by prosecutors, emphasizing how unusual this whole situation is, noted Anthony Michael Kreis, a constitutional law professor.
Kreis made a quip about the common saying that almost any indictment can stick, referring to the saying about indicting a ‘ham sandwich’, yet here we are in D.C— a sandwich just isn’t enough to charge as a serious crime.
“The fact the prosecution overreached here shows how the jury is protecting citizens from aggressive prosecutions,” Kreis stated.
Confrontation on the Streets
The clash occurred as numerous officers swarmed the streets, particularly in tourist hotspots. According to reports, Dunn confronted one of the federal agents, Customs and Border Patrol officer Gregory Lairmore, late at night saying, “Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!”—mentioning quite a hostile welcome before tossing the sandwich right at him.
Before dashing off, a video on social media shows Dunn in a pink shirt, yelling at the law enforcement officers and then running as pursued by them, the action surprising everyone in front of a Subway restaurant.
Response from Legal Authorities
Afterward, Attorney General Pam Bondi swiftly took to social media to announce Dunn’s firing, bluntly stating he had been terminated and faced felony charges for his actions.
“You cannot undermine respect for government and law enforcement while working under this administration,” Bondi underscored.
Dunn is now officially charged with assaulting federal officers. Pirro, addressing the case at the time, echoed that Dunn might have found the incident amusing but certainly wouldn’t be laughing now that he’s facing serious charges.
To close off the controversy, on August 26, Trump threw a twist by discussing his administration’s intention to push for the death penalty for murder convicts in the District, fueling a fire of national debate on controversial capital punishment laws.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci
