Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Drey of the Northern District of Florida pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegally steering contracts to her spouse.

In her professional capacity, including the period when she served as Civil Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, Drey, 55, directed title searches in litigation defended by the office to companies in which her husband had a financial interest.

Drey concealed this financial interest while directing the contracts.

“Kathryn Drey committed a federal crime by enriching her family at the expense of her duty to the American people,” Assistant U.S. Attorney General Ken Polite Jr. said in a statement.

She had been appointed Civil Chief of the office in 2019. The leadership page for the Northern District of Florida, last updated on May 27, 2022, does not list Drey at all.

Drey also helped represent the U.S. in litigation as recently as March 14.

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

Having pleaded guilty to one count of acting with a conflict of interest, Drey faces sentencing on June 28, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.