The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska announced on July 24 the allocation of Justice Department funding to hire a permanent criminal Assistant U.S. Attorney dedicated to prosecuting federal cases affecting rural Alaska and Tribal communities. This decision follows Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s recent trip to Anchorage and Western Alaska communities Bethel and Emmonak, where he heard concerns about public safety resources.
According to the announcement, recent reports indicate that Alaska’s violent crime rate is 5.4 times higher than the national average, with aggravated assaults at 6.7 times higher and rapes at 3.1 times higher than national rates. State crime data from 2024 shows that 41% of murder victims were Alaska Native, despite representing less than 15% of the state population.
The new Assistant U.S. Attorney will work with law enforcement across the state to address illegal firearms offenses, drug crimes, child exploitation, violent crimes, and fraud in rural areas. The position is open to all U.S. citizens or nationals, with applications currently being accepted through USAJobs.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska said, “Violent crime and drug trafficking have devastated many of our Alaskan communities, particularly those in rural areas. While we’ve seen some recent improvement, Acting Attorney General Blanche heard our requests for additional federal assistance in addressing public safety concerns in rural and Tribal communities,” . Heyman also said, “I want to thank every Alaskan that has sat with me, members of my team, law enforcement and DOJ leaders to share their experiences. This new Indian Country/Rural Alaska AUSA will work with law enforcement in every corner of our state to pursue federal charges against criminals who target women, children and communities with their illegal actions.”
The office seeks experienced attorneys with strong research and writing skills as well as a background in criminal law who are interested in prosecuting cases impacting rural Alaska.