Four New Assistant U.S. Attorneys For Southern Indiana

The new federal prosecutors will prosecutor violent crime and drug trafficking.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - The Justice Department is adding four assistant U.S. attorneys in the Southern District of Indiana to help prosecute violent crime, enforce immigration laws, and fight back against the opioid crisis.

U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler said Tuesday that three of the new federal prosecutors will focus on violent crime and the other will concentrate on civil opioid enforcement.

“Two of our top priorities are reducing gun violence and meeting the challenge of the opioid epidemic in this district,” said Minkler. “This needed addition of AUSAs allows our office to address the district’s biggest threats head on and Hoosiers will soon be able to see real positive results. The number of shootings must decrease and Indiana will be the most inhospitable place in the country to push pills. Our neighbors and community deserve nothing less.”

More than 300 new assistant U.S. attorneys are being added nationwide by the Trump Administration and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The include 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors.

"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."

Many of the civil enforcement attorneys will support the newly created Prescription Interdiction & Litigation Task Force which targets the opioid crisis at every level of the distribution system.