WASHINGTON - On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon for the District of South Carolina 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 AUSA’s 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 District of South Carolina, three of these AUSAs will focus on violent crime while an additional AUSA will take on civil enforcement.
USA Lydon echoed Attorney General Sessions’ support and dedication to public safety. “With four new Assistant U.S. Attorneys joining our ranks in South Carolina, our ability to continue our efforts alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners as well as our state prosecutors will be significantly enhanced. The timing could not be better as we advance to secure communities and citizens across our state." ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
