Teenagers Charged in Assault and Robbery Case

Two teenagers are facing charges for first-degree robbery and assault with the intent to commit robbery, following an attack on a former employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) known informally as “Big Balls.” This was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro of the District of Columbia.

During a press conference, Pirro revealed that 19-year-old Lawrence Cotton Powell and 18-year-old Anthony Taylor are alleged to have assaulted and robbed 22-year-old Ethan Levine while he was outside a Sunoco gas station with friends on August 3.

After robbing Levine, Powell and Taylor, along with others, were reportedly involved in another assault and an attempted carjacking of Edward Coristine, a recently retired DOGE employee.

“We’re naming two individuals charged in a concerning pattern of assaults and a carjacking attempt. This incident shows the urgent need for accountability among young offenders in our area,” Pirro stated.

Pirro elaborated that the incident illustrates the growing challenges in tackling crime in Washington, D.C. She described how, around 2:53 a.m. on August 3, Levine and his friends were standing outside the gas station when they encountered a large group of teenagers who initiated the assault. She showed a poster depicting Powell stomping on Levine’s head. Levine momentarily got up but soon collapsed while the group continued to attack him, stealing his sneakers and watch.

This group then moved on to commit another crime shortly after Levine’s assault, which involved Edward Coristine. Coristine was assisting a young woman to her car when they were approached by around ten suspects. While attempting to protect the woman from being forced into his car, Coristine was attacked, sustaining serious injuries.

Pirro also touched on Powell’s criminal history, noting he faced charges for robbery, first-degree robbery, and attempted robbery of a motor vehicle. He had previously received a suspended sentence for attempted robbery, but within a month of his release, he re-offended while on probation, leading to further charges.

Interestingly, it was reported that two teens involved in the assault on Coristine managed to avoid jail time, receiving probation instead. A boy from Hyattsville, Maryland, was given a year of probation under strict house arrest, while a girl was sentenced to nine months of probation and detention in a youth facility.

In August, then-President Donald Trump indicated he might take control over the District, mentioning that a DOGE employee had sustained serious injuries in a related incident.