It will be interesting to see whether these cases go to trial. It seems plausible to me that they will want to use these cases, in which a conviction will be relatively straightforward, to establish a precedent.
Exactly. A plea deal would say they were just going after shutting down bad actors. Not offering a plea and going out of their way to prosecute would indicate they actually want to establish a precedent that simply selling Bitcoin is operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, so as to be able to pull in a wider dragnet at some later date.
I have to say that if the claims in the complaint are factually true (always a big if), these two clowns have done Bitcoin a grave disservice themselves. If someone comes up to you and says they want you to sell them Bitcoin so they can commit open crimes with it, and you facilitate it, YOU are a criminal yourself, you are not doing Bitcoin any favors, and THE GUY IS PROBABLY A COP.