Teen pleads guilty in DOGE staffer beating that spurred DC National Guard deployment

A 15-year-old boy from Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty in Washington, D.C., juvenile court to felony assault, simple assault, robbery and attempted robbery in connection with the Aug. 3 beating of Edward Coristine, the former DOGE staffer known by the nickname “Big Balls,” in the Logan Circle neighborhood. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. when a group of teens attacked him as they allegedly tried to carjack him and a woman accompanying him. Police said Coristine pushed the woman to safety and turned to confront the attackers, an exchange that ended with him being injured and the crowd dispersing.

The assault drew swift national attention to crime in the nation’s capital and helped magnify concerns voiced by then-President Donald Trump. Trump criticized Washington, D.C., for what he described as a crime wave and publicly urged federal involvement. He directed an increased federal law-enforcement presence in the city and deployed members of the National Guard to conduct patrols while officials placed the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under federal authority as part of a broader security effort. In the days and weeks that followed, Trump characterized the operation as producing notable results, telling supporters that crime in the capital was “like a different city.” His remarks were circulated across social media and in coverage of the security measures.

In the legislative arena, House Republicans advanced two bills aimed at tightening crime policies in Washington, D.C., a move that drew opposition from many Democrats. The first bill, the DC Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safe Act, or the DC CRIMES Act, would reduce the maximum statutory age of a youth offender from 24 to 18 and would limit judges’ ability to depart from mandatory minimum sentences for juveniles. It was spearheaded by Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. The second measure, led by Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, would extend adult court eligibility to juveniles as young as 14 for certain violent offenses, creating a framework in which younger offenders could be tried as adults. The current law places several age thresholds higher, with 16 as the standard for many crimes, and the bills specify offenses such as murder, first-degree sexual assault, burglary in the first degree, armed robbery, or assault with intent to commit such offenses.

The backdrop to the political debate includes President Trump’s broader security posture in major U.S. cities. On Sept. 15, he signed a presidential memorandum titled Restoring Law and Order in Memphis, which mobilized the National Guard to the city and established a Memphis Safe Task Force, a move that Trump described as part of a nationwide approach to crime that could be emulated elsewhere. The administration’s actions in Washington, D.C., and Memphis illustrate a controversial strategy that blends federal authority with local policing in pursuit of crime reduction. The reporting on these events reflects coverage from Fox News Digital and its contributors, who highlighted the timing of the juvenile case, the policy response in Congress, and the administration’s security posture in the capital.

As the juvenile case proceeds, prosecutors can pursue further actions in light of the guilty plea, and lawmakers in both parties continue to debate the balance between public safety and youth rehabilitation. The incident and its aftermath have also shaped political narratives about crime policy in the 2024–25 cycle, with federal and local authorities arguing over how best to deter crime while ensuring due process and proportional penalties. The participants in the Logan Circle incident and the resulting policy responses remain focal points in a broader national discussion about crime, governance, and federal involvement in urban policing.