U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary has announced his resignation from the Middle District of Georgia, effective January 11, 2025. Leary will transition to a role at an Atlanta-based law firm after a federal career that began in 2007 and saw him become the 17th presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the district.
Reflecting on his tenure, Leary stated, “I am honored to have served as the U.S. Attorney for the community that raised me, alongside some of the finest public servants in the country.” He emphasized collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement to enhance safety and justice.
During his leadership, significant efforts were made to tackle complex criminal cases involving transnational criminal organizations and armed fentanyl traffickers. The office also focused on preventing illegal rapid-fire weapons distribution and prioritized child sexual abuse material investigations.
Leary oversaw several high-profile investigations, including a Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering prosecution related to murders in Athens, Georgia; charges against defendants linked to a Columbus street gang; protection of religious rights in Macon; removal of fentanyl and guns from Albany; actions against violent re-offenders in Valdosta; and crime gun intelligence use for solving an Oconee County cold case.
Understanding that reducing violent crime requires more than policing, Leary was committed to fostering partnerships with community stakeholders. One notable initiative was supporting Macon Violence Prevention (MVP), which contributed to a significant decrease in homicides between 2022 and 2023.
The Civil Division expanded under Leary’s command, employing new specialists such as a healthcare fraud investigator and an Affirmative Civil Enforcement auditor. These additions helped pursue recovery efforts like COVID fraud relief and civil healthcare fraud recoupment.
Leary also secured a full-time Civil Rights investigator position—the first of its kind nationwide—enabling groundbreaking work on civil rights issues including housing, disability, and voting rights.
“Providing the necessary resources so talented prosecutors, investigators and support staff can pursue justice – in both a civil and criminal context – is paramount,” said Leary regarding resource allocation during his tenure.
Leary contributed nationally through roles such as Cybercrime Prosecutorial Expertise member on various subcommittees within the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. He also played key roles locally by elevating diverse attorneys into leadership positions within his office.
“It is crucial to assemble a team of top-tier and diverse attorneys to pursue justice,” said Leary about his approach towards diversity within leadership roles.
Raised in Watkinsville, Georgia, Leary is an alumnus of Athens Academy and received degrees from the University of Virginia. His legal career includes clerking for U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson before joining the DOJ's Federal Programs Branch through its Honors Program.
Leary received multiple awards during his career including an EOUSA Director’s Award for Superior Performance related to youth gun possession education initiatives: www.armedwithknowledge.com.
“Serving our country for my entire legal career has been everything I hoped it would be," he expressed gratitude towards those he worked alongside during his service period.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Shanelle Booker will succeed him as Acting U.S. Attorney for Middle District Georgia covering numerous counties across major cities like Albany & Macon among others while prosecuting crimes ranging from terrorism-related offenses down through public corruption cases amongst others handled by this office responsible defending US interests within region too!
