A jury on Thursday acquitted the individual who hurled a sandwich at a Customs and Border Patrol officer earlier this year during an anti-ICE protest in Washington, D.C.
Footage of the incident went viral on social media amid national debate over the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.
From NBC News:
Jurors showed no appetite for the Justice Department's case against "sandwich guy," the D.C. resident who chucked a Subway sandwich at the chest of a federal officer, finding him not guilty Thursday after several hours of deliberations.
The jury — which feasted on sandwiches for lunch Thursday, according to a person familiar with jury lunches — deliberated the charges for several hours Wednesday and Thursday before delivering the verdict.
The resident, Sean Dunn, a former Justice Department paralegal, faced a single misdemeanor count after a federal grand jury rejected more serious charges over the encounter, which took place in the nightlife area of U Street in August.
Border Patrol Officer Greg Lairmore received two "gag gifts" related to the incident — a plush sandwich and a patch featuring a cartoon of Dunn throwing the sandwich with the words “Felony Footlong” — which the defense team argued showed this was not a serious event in his life.
Lairmore had testified that the sandwich “exploded all over” his chest and claimed he could smell mustard and onions. But a photo showed that the sandwich was still in its wrapper on the ground after it hit Lairmore in his bulletproof vest.
Images of Dunn became a symbol of resistance to the Trump administration in Washington, with murals popping up on walls depicting a man throwing a sandwich, and with people placing sandwiches in the hands of giant skeletons for Halloween.
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🚨 BREAKING: Sean Dunn who hurled a sandwich at a federal agent in D.C. has been acquitted of misdemeanor charges at trial
— Digital Gal 🌸 (@DigitalGal_X) November 6, 2025
🥖🥬 🍅 pic.twitter.com/HCRcklww4h
Dunn spoke with reporters outside the courtroom after the jury rendered its verdict. “I am so happy that justice prevails in spite of everything happening,” he said. “And that night, I believe that I was protecting the rights of immigrants. And let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says, E pluribus unum. That means from many, one. Every life matters, no matter where you came from, no matter how you got here, no matter how you identify. You have the right to live a life that is free.”
A statement from the DC sandwich man Sean Dunn who was just acquitted. pic.twitter.com/NISXF67CfJ
— Philip Wang (@Philipywang) November 6, 2025
The defense argued during the trial that Dunn should be acquitted because his actions did not meet the legal standard for misdemeanor assault. His attorneys noted that the sandwich, which was still in its wrapper, did not cause physical harm or pose an actual threat to the officer. They characterized it as a “harmless gesture” instead of a violent act.
The prosecution argued that Dunn had still crossed a legal line even though his actions did not harm the officer. “Even with a sandwich, you don’t have the right to touch another person,” the prosecutor said. He also argued that the incident caused a “seven-minute disturbance” that distracted federal authorities during a law enofrcement operation.
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