A veteran prosecutor who spearheaded indictments of top-ranking members of the depraved gang MS-13 has been appointed interim head of the Eastern District of New York — a powerful Justice Department office that covers Brooklyn and Long Island.
John J. Durham, who had been serving as chief of the Criminal Section of the office’s Long Island division, was sworn into office on Tuesday. He’ll serve as acting US Attorney for the district for either 120 days or until President Trump’s nominee for the post is confirmed by the US Senate, officials said.
“As someone who has served this Office for nearly 20 years, it is truly an honor to be appointed as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York,” Durham said in a statement.
Trump has announced that he’ll be tapping Nassau County Judge Joseph Nocella Jr. to lead the office, but it was unclear Wednesday when Nocella would begin the confirmation process.
Nominees for local US Attorney’s Offices also typically meet with the two Senators repping that state — in this case Democrat Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand — in bids to get their blessing before the Senate confirmation process begins.
Durham has been with the Eastern District as a prosecutor since 2005 and in August 2019 was appointed to direct Joint Task Force “Vulcan,” a Department of Justice initiative to combat the murderous MS-13 gang, officials said in a press release.
The veteran prosecutor has helped arrest and convict “hundreds of MS-13 leaders, members and associates on charges related to more than 70 murders committed in this district between January 2008 and the present,” the Eastern District said in the release.
“Our mission remains steadfast and vital: to combat the greatest threats to this district –from violent crime, terrorism and drug trafficking to cybercrime, corruption, white-collar fraudand civil litigation – uphold the rule of law and pursue justice,” Durham added in his statement.
“I, along with my team of dedicated public servants in this great Office will never waver in our mission to protect the over eight million residents of this district, and the nation at large.”
The post Veteran prosecutor who went after vicious MS-13 gang named interim US Attorney for Long Island, Brooklyn appeared first on New York Post.
