Can I put this another way?
A guy who commits armed robbery gets caught. It's his first offense. Do you believe he should be given another chance before he's sentenced to incarceration?
How about the guy who shoots and kills his wife? Does he get a free pass because it's his first time, too?
You're going to argue that these two examples are not relevant. Trust me, they are.
There's also nothing egregious about informing his employer. In fact, you might say it's their duty to inform the employer if only to ensure the employer can cover their backsides too.
We cannot guess what may or may not happen in court. But if the PD believes it's a slam-dunk for the Feds, the PD is most likely correct.

