PODCAST: Democrat House Staffer Arrested for Allegedly Stealing 240 Government Phones

A former staffer for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was arrested last week for allegedly stealing hundreds of government-issued cellphones and selling them for personal profit, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced Monday. The devices, intended for official committee use, reportedly ended up in a Maryland pawn shop, with an estimated total value of approximately $150,000.

Christopher Southerland, 43, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, served as a systems administrator for the committee from April 2020 through July 2023. In that role, he was responsible for ordering, distributing and managing mobile devices for committee staff.

Prosecutors allege that between January and May 2023, Southerland had 240 new phones shipped directly to his home—far exceeding the roughly 80 staffers assigned to the committee at the time.

According to an indictment unsealed last week, Southerland instructed a pawn shop employee to sell the phones in parts to bypass the committee’s mobile device management software, which allows devices to be remotely secured and monitored. The alleged scheme came to light when one of the stolen phones was sold intact on eBay.

The buyer noticed the device displayed the House Technology Service Desk phone number, prompting staff to investigate and uncover the missing devices, the Washington Examiner reports.“Stealing taxpayer-funded devices is a betrayal of public trust,” Pirro said in a statement. “These phones are intended to support the work of the House, not line someone’s pockets. Accountability matters—no one is above the law.”

Southerland faces federal charges of theft of government property. If convicted, prosecutors have indicated they will seek monetary restitution for the stolen devices.

©2026 Conservative Commandos Radio Show and AUN-TV. All rights reserved.