Justice Department prosecutors have dropped federal charges against Dr. Michael Kirk Moore Jr., a Utah plastic surgeon who allegedly falsified COVID vaccination certificates.

The dismissal, announced on Saturday by Attorney General Pam Bondi, signals a major shift in how the federal government approaches COVID vaccine regulation cases.

Moore faced serious consequences: along with three co-defendants, he could have received up to 35 years behind bars for charges stemming from the alleged destruction of government vaccines worth roughly $28,000 and issuing fraudulent vaccination records.

The case was unexpectedly dismissed by Acting United States Attorney for Utah Felice John Viti, who filed paperwork stating it was “in the interests of justice.” Jury selection had already begun in Salt Lake City.

This decision reflects the Trump administration’s approach to lockdown-era rules, with the enforcement priorities dramatically different from the previous administration’s stance. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long questioned vaccine mandates, publicly backed Moore.

Bondi likewise defended the decision in strong terms: she emphasized that Moore “gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so” and insisted he did not deserve the lengthy prison sentence he was facing.

The case appears to underscore a broader policy shift. Moving forward, federal authorities may take a markedly different approach to vaccine-related prosecutions, one that prioritizes individual medical choice over strict compliance.