Tampa, FL - Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis.
In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSAs will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.
"Under President Trump's strong leadership, the Department of Justice is going on offense against violent crime, illegal immigration, and the opioid crisis-and today we are sending in reinforcements," said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. "We have a saying in my office that a new federal prosecutor is 'the coin of the realm.' When we can eliminate wasteful spending, one of my first questions to my staff is if we can deploy more prosecutors to where they are needed. I have personally worked to re-purpose existing funds to support this critical mission, and as a former federal prosecutor myself, my expectations could not be higher. These exceptional and talented prosecutors are key leaders in our crime fighting partnership. This addition of new Assistant U.S. Attorney positions represents the largest increase in decades."
In the Middle District of Florida, three of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime, two on civil enforcement, and one on prosecuting immigration crimes.
“We are grateful for the additional resources to better serve our constituents here in the Middle District," said U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez. “These new positions will provide much needed assistance as we continue to focus on the Department’s priorities and meet the needs of our communities."
The Middle District of Florida is the second largest federal district in the country, with a population of more than 11 million. It includes 35 of Florida’s 67 counties and includes offices in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Ft. Myers, and Ocala. For more information about the MDFL, visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
