Assistant U.S. attorney in Florida district pleads guilty in steering contracts to spouse

March 29 (UPI) -- An assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Florida has pleaded guilty to charges of violating federal conflict of interest regulations by steering contracts to her spouse.

The Justice Department said Wednesday that Florida attorney Kathryn Drey, 55, "concealed her spouse's financial interest in contracts to conduct title searches in litigation defended by the U.S. Attorney's Office."

Drey "directed contracts from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida to companies in which her spouse had a financial interest, including while she served as chief of the office's Civil Division," the Justice Department said in a press release Wednesday.

"Kathryn Drey committed a federal crime by enriching her family at the expense of her duty to the American people," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Polite Jr.

Drey faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 28.

The case is being prosecuted by Nicholas Cannon and Lauren Castaldi of the Justice Department's Criminal Division's Public Integrity Section.

As of Wednesday, Drey still was listed as a "member in good standing" of the Florida Bar Association.