Two teenagers who admitted to participating in a violent group attack on former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer Edward “Big Balls” Coristine have avoided incarceration after pleading guilty to simple assault in a Washington D.C. court.
The defendants, a 15-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl from Hyattsville, Maryland, received probation sentences on Tuesday, just over two months following their arrests for their involvement in the Aug. 3 incident.
The male defendant received a 12-month probation sentence and was allowed to return to his residence under strict house arrest conditions.
The female defendant was given nine months of probation and placed in a local youth shelter, according to reports from the New York Post.
The sentences were handed down despite the serious nature of the injuries inflicted on the victim during the early morning attack.
The attack took place at approximately 3 a.m. in Washington D.C.’s Logan Circle neighborhood, Resist the Mainstream previously reported.
Coristine and his girlfriend became targets of a group consisting of roughly eight teenagers who surrounded their vehicle.
The group of assailants surrounded the couple’s vehicle and attempted to force their way inside with the apparent intent to steal the car.
The teenagers tried multiple times to gain entry to the vehicle while the couple remained inside.
Coristine stepped in to protect his companion, who successfully secured herself inside the vehicle, according to police accounts.
He exited the vehicle to confront the group and prevent them from reaching his girlfriend.
During the confrontation that followed, Coristine sustained serious injuries from the attack, including a concussion and a broken nose.
The assault left the young government employee requiring medical treatment for his injuries.
The 19-year-old victim addressed the defendants remotely during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, speaking directly to the two teenagers who had pleaded guilty to their role in the attack.
“I hope you can figure things out and be ready for the consequences,” Coristine reportedly stated to the defendants via video link.
He expressed gratitude to the court and responding officers for their efforts in holding the teens accountable, the Post highlighted.
Despite his injuries and the trauma of the incident, Coristine thanked law enforcement officials who responded to the scene and investigated the case.
The sentencing decision drew sharp criticism from tech entrepreneur and former DOGE chief Elon Musk, who voiced his objections on social media platform X.
Musk’s comments sparked widespread discussion about racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
“This was a racist verdict by a racist judge,” Musk stated, referring to Judge Kendra Briggs, who is black.
“The simple test to apply is if the races has been reversed, the White kids would be in prison. Equal justice for all!”
The assault on Coristine became one of several high-profile incidents that influenced President Donald Trump’s subsequent decision to federalize Washington D.C. police agencies.
The administration took decisive action in response to what officials described as an escalating crime crisis in the nation’s capital.
The administration deployed additional federal agents to the nation’s capital, which reportedly resulted in a significant decrease in criminal activity.
