2 teens get probation for attack on ex-DOGE employee known as 'Big Balls'

Muri Assunção, New York Daily News on Oct 15, 2025

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Two Maryland teenagers who pleaded guilty to assaulting a former Department of Government Efficiency employee in Washington, D.C., earlier this year were back in court Tuesday for sentencing.

The two 15-year-olds, a boy and a girl, were arrested in August in connection with the attempted carjacking and beating of Edward Coristine — a 19-year-old programmer and early recruit to Elon Musk’s controversial DOGE initiative — better known by his nickname “Big Balls.”

The teenage boy, who pleaded guilty to felony assault, robbery and simple assault, was sentenced to 12 months’ probation. The girl had pleaded guilty to simple assault and received a nine-month probation sentence, local CBS affiliate WUSA reported.

They are not allowed to contact each other and may only be in D.C. for school, work or family obligations.

Both teens were arrested in the early hours of Aug. 3 by members of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

Officials said the teens approached two victims standing next to their vehicle in the 1400 block of Swann Street Northwest around 3 a.m. They then “demanded the victim’s vehicle” and assaulted one of them.

That victim was later identified as Coristine. The incident gained national attention after it was shared by Musk on X and by Trump on his social media platform.

Both Trump and his then-staunch ally used the opportunity to call for placing Washington under federal control.

“Crime in Washington, D.C., is totally out of control,” Trump wrote on TruthSocial. “The most recent victim was beaten mercilessly by local thugs,” he said, sharing a photo of a bloodied Coristine.

Less than three weeks later, he announced that his administration would temporarily take over the local police department to crack down on crime in the district, despite data showing violent crime was down 26% from last year.