Atty. Gen. Holder Honors 303 Justice Dept. Employees

holder at press conference — Holder at a recent press conference/doj photo

By Allan Lengel

ticklethewire.com

WASHINGTON — Attorney General Eric Holder recognized a whole lot of Justice Department employees — 303 to be exact — at the 58th Annual Attorney General Awards Ceremony here on Wednesday.

Additionally, 55 others outside the department were honored.

The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service—the department’s highest award— went to two teams; one involved in the investigation and prosecution of the largest health care fraud settlement ever obtained by the department involving Pfizer Inc., and the team involved in the case of the al Qaeda plot against the New York City subway system.
To read who received awards, click continue.

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, recipients include: Sara Miron Bloom, Chief of Affirmative Litigation; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan M. Poswistilo and Zachary A. Cunha; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Deputy Chief for Affirmative Matters Marilyn May, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene Keller Fullmer; from the Eastern District of Kentucky, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robin Gwinn and Cheryl D. Morgan; from the Department of Justice Civil Division Commercial Litigation Branch, Patricia L. Hanower and Sanjay M. Bhambhani, Senior Trial Counsels; and Colin M. Huntley, Trial Attorney; from the Civil Division’s Office of Consumer Litigation, Jill P. Furman, Assistant Branch Director and Mark L. Josephs, Trial Attorney; from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administrative and Civil Remedies Branch, Senior Counsels Mary Riordan and Nicole Hall; and from the HHS Food & Drug Administration, Anne K. Walsh, Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement.
The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service is also presented to a team who dedicated themselves to preserving the safety of the United States and its citizens by preventing an al Qaeda plot to attack the New York City subway system. From the Department of Justice National Security Division (NSD) Office of Intelligence, Operations Section, recipients include Gabriel R. Sanz-Rexach, Section Chief; Stuart J. Evans, Deputy Section Chief; Alexandra Doumas, Counterterrorism Unit Chief; and Caren E. Somerwitz, Kimberly M. Schmid and Stephen C. Eglin, Attorney-Advisors; from the NSD’s Office of Intelligence, Litigation Section, Nancy J. Newcomb, Section Chief; from the NSD’s Counterterrorism Section, Sharon E. Lever, Deputy Chief; and William M. Narus, Trial Attorney; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York Violent Crimes and Terrorism Section, John Ross, Investigator; Berit W. Berger and James P. Loonam, Assistant U.S. Attorneys; Jeffrey H. Knox, Chief; and David M. Bitkower, Deputy Chief; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, Timothy R. Neff, Greg Holloway and David Gaouette, Assistant U.S. Attorneys; from the FBI’s Denver Field Office, Steve W. Olson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge; Special Agents Eric C. Jergenson, J. Alexander Ferguson, A. Za Smith-Berthe, F. Rhion Hiller and Garrett V. Anderson; and Intelligence Analyst Collin Husic; from the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, Special Agent Micheal J.L. Copeland; from the FBI’s New York Field Office, Donald F. Borelli, Assistant Special Agent in Charge; Special Agents Farbod Azad, John W. Tinning, Garrett M. Zito and Stephanie M. Buhl; Geralyn Custode, Supervisory Intelligence Analyst; and James B. Dowling, Intelligence Analyst; from the FBI’s Newark, N.J., Field Office, Unit Chief Jay S. Tabb Jr., and Assistant Section Chief William F. Sweeney Jr.; from the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Paul M. Abbate and Supervisory Special Agent Tyrone Power; from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, C. Bryan Paarmann, Assistant Section Chief; Tara A. Bloesch, Supervisory Special Agent; and Special Agent Henry C. Heim; from the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, Supervisory Special Agent Matthew L. Goard; and Intelligence Analysts Elizabeth Nagel, David Ring, Sandra Wenglikowski and Frederick Marcks; from the FBI’s National Security Branch, Intelligence Analyst Natalie Pathwick-Paszyc; from the FBI’s Directorate of Intelligence, Section Chief Jennifer E. Ley and Lauren B. O’Brien, Intelligence Analyst; from the FBI Office of General Counsel, Assistant General Counsels Christopher N. Hamilton and Kathleen Adams Veneri; and Alan Ciammaichella, Task Force Officer; from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Special Agent Robert Norman Marten and Task Force Officers Jason Cassidy and Travis F. McFarren; from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Transportation Safety Administration, Michael C. Neener, Federal Air Marshal; and from the New York Police Department, Task Force Officers Michael Carney, Angel Luis Maysonet, and Jody Allan Almodovar.
The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism recognizes an extraordinary act of courage and voluntary risk of life during the performance of official duties. Two awards are presented this year.
The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism goes to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Foreign-deployed Advisory Support Team agents, along with their Afghan National Police counterparts, who participated in a joint operation with American and coalition forces in Badghis Province, Afghanistan, to execute an Afghan search warrant at Darreh-ye Bazaar.
Award recipients include: Group Supervisor Patrick J. McDarby, and Special Agents Forrest N. Leamon (posthumous), Chad L. Michael (posthumous), Michael E. Weston (posthumous), Andrew P. Harris, David L. Claassen, and David L. King. During the mission, one of the military helicopters crashed, claiming the lives of Special Agents Leamon, Michael, and Weston and seven U.S. military personnel. In disregard to their own safety, Group Supervisor McDarby and Special Agents Harris, King and Claassen displayed extraordinary heroism at the crash site by evacuating, providing aid, protecting their injured colleagues and recovering the remains of their fallen comrades.
The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism also goes to James N. Chios who, while in Afghanistan, saved the life of two wounded soldiers by providing urgent medical care when the military unit in which he was embedded was ambushed by a superior enemy force attacking from multiple elevated positions. He then risked his life by leaving the protection of cover and engaging the enemy.
The Edward H. Levi Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Exemplary Integrity pays tribute to the memory and achievements of former Attorney General Edward H. Levi, whose career as an attorney, law professor and dean, and public servant exemplified these qualities in the best traditions of the department. This year, the award is presented to Michael F. Hertz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Commercial Litigation Branch for the Civil Division.
Hertz has shaped the way the False Claims Act and qui tam provisions are interpreted and used, and has been instrumental in defending the constitutionality of the provisions themselves. He is a relentless advocate of the government’s interest, and exhibits uncompromising professionalism, integrity, and judgment in a manner that serves as an example to attorneys and support staff. His distinguished career has exemplified the ideals of public service for more than 33 years.
The Mary C. Lawton Lifetime Service Award recognizes employees who have served at least 20 years in the department and have demonstrated high standards of excellence and dedication throughout their careers. This year’s award is presented to William L. Taylor, Judicial Security Inspector for the Southern District of Ohio of the U.S. Marshals Service. Taylor is honored for his exceptional leadership and sustained role on the U.S. Marshals Service Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT). During his involvement with CIRT for the past two decades, Taylor has provided outstanding aid to his fellow employees during times of national disasters and personal crisis.
The William French Smith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cooperative Law Enforcement is an honorary award granted to recognize state and local law enforcement officials who have made significant contributions to cooperative law enforcement endeavors. This year’s award is presented to Jeff Rich, Detective for the Plano, Texas, Police Department for his exceptional work to combat sexual exploitation crimes against children. His work includes sustained and significant contributions to promote cooperation and coordination with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as his training initiatives which have reached a national audience.
The William French Smith Award also goes to partners of the U.S. Marshals Service of the Northern District of Ohio. Recipients include: Michael McGrath, Chief of the Cleveland Police Department; Bob Reid, Sheriff of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office; James Repicky, Chief of the Euclid Police Department; Timothy Malley, Chief of the Lakewood Police Department; Andres Gonzalez, Chief of the Cuyahoga Municipal Housing Authority Police Department; Richard Walling, Chief of the Westlake Police Department; James Brosius, Chief of the Chagrin Falls Police Department; Sara Andrews, Deputy Director of the Ohio Adult Parole Authority; Augustus Hall, Chief of the Akron Police Department; Patrick Berarducci, Chief of the Medina Police Department; Drew Alexander, Sheriff of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office; Duane Whitely, Chief of the Elyria Police Department; Cel Rivera, Chief of the Lorain Police Department; Philip Messer, Chief of the Mansfield Police Department; J. Steve Sheldon, Sheriff of the Richland County Sheriff’s Office; Charles Roub, Chief of the Shelby Police Department; Peter Tobin, Superintendent of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation; Bruce Birr, Deputy Sheriff of the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office; Michael Navarre, Chief of the Toledo Police Department; Jack Nichols, Chief of the Boardman Township Police Department; Timothy Bowers, Chief of the Warren Police Department; and Jimmy Hughes, Chief of the Youngstown Police Department.
As partners of the U.S. Marshals Service-led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF), the recipients have served as an inspiration to other federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. Under the team’s leadership, NOVFTF closed more than 6,300 felony warrants and apprehended more than 4,600 felony fugitives in the Northern District of Ohio.
The Attorney General’s Award for Meritorious Public Service is the top public service award granted by the Department of Justice, and is designed to recognize the most significant contributions of citizens and organizations that have assisted the department in the accomplishment of its mission and objectives. This year’s award is presented to Kevin Brown, Executive Director of the Trinity Christian Community in New Orleans. Brown receives the award for his work in the Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans where, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he incorporated efforts to rebuild the city into his organization’s mission.
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is the Justice Department’s second highest award for employee performance. The recipients of this award exemplify the highest commitment to the department’s mission. Fifteen awards are presented this year to individuals and teams.
One award is presented to Robert L. Wilson, Supervisory Correctional Officer of the Federal Correctional Institution of Cumberland, Md. Wilson displayed the highest level of bravery and dedication to duty during an institutional disturbance on Sept. 5, 2009, at the Cumberland facility. Wilson’s bravery, compassion, and commitment are a reflection of dedication and professional correctional excellence.
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is also presented to a team recognized for its extraordinary work in achieving a resolution of the Cobell v. Salazar litigation that is fair to the plaintiffs, and encourages a better relationship between the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the hundreds of thousands of Native Americans with whom it has a trust relationship. Recipients of the award include members of the Department of Justice Civil Division Corporate/Financial Litigation Section: Michael F. Hertz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General; J. Christopher Kohn, Director; Robert Kirschman, Deputy Branch Director; John T. Stemplewicz, Special Litigation Counsel; and Michael J. Quinn, Trial Attorney.
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is also presented to a team for directing the largest and most successful identity theft and hacking investigation and prosecution ever conducted in the United States. The team’s work resulted in the identification of an international hacking and credit card theft ring; their apprehension in the United States, Middle East, and Asia; and their conviction before American and foreign courts. From the department Criminal Division Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, members include: Howard Cox, Assistant Deputy Chief; Kimberly Kiefer Peretti, former Senior Counsel; and Trial Attorneys Evan C. Williams and Jenny C. Ellickson; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts Stephen P. Heymann, Assistant U.S. Attorney; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, William Campos, Assistant U.S. Attorney; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Section, Erez Liebermann, Chief; and Seth B. Kosto, Assistant U.S. Attorney; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, Timothy C. Rank, Assistant U.S. Attorney; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, Orlando Gutierrez, Assistant U.S. Attorney; and from the U.S. Secret Service, Special Agents Peter Gannon, Andrew J. Bonillo Jr., Jeremy J. Ehrhardt, Stuart K. Van Buren and Richard K. LaTulip.
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service also goes to a team recognized for exemplary and highly effective work in U.S. v. Roy Belfast Jr., aka “Chuckie Taylor.” This groundbreaking case—the first use of a 1994 federal statute making torture under color of law by a U.S. citizen a crime—brought justice to civilian victims who suffered horrific abuse during Liberia’s recent civil war. Team members include from the Criminal Division’s Appellate Section John-Alex Romano, Trial Attorney; formerly of the Criminal Division’s former Domestic Security Section Christopher Graveline, Trial Attorney; and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Caroline Heck Miller and Karen Rochlin, Assistant U.S. Attorneys.
Also being awarded the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service are members from the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) Environmental Enforcement Section, Robert E. Maher Jr., Assistant Chief; David L. Dain, Senior Attorney; Eric D. Albert, Trial Attorney; and National Bankruptcy Coordinator Alan S. Tenenbaum. This team led the government effort in the Asarco bankruptcy case to recover more than $1.7 billion to fund environmental cleanup and natural resource restoration under a reorganization plan in the largest environmental bankruptcy case in U.S. history. The team organized and directed the work of more than 50 ENRD lawyers and paralegals, who collectively labored more than 50,000 hours on the case.
Also being awarded with the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for their outstanding and historic achievement in successfully negotiating a resolution in State of Washington v. Steven Chu and the U.S. Dept. of Energy are ENRD Environmental Defense Section Senior Attorney David J. Kaplan and Assistant Chief Russell M. Young. In that lawsuit, the states of Washington and Oregon alleged that the Department of Energy (DOE) had failed to meet deadlines for cleaning up radioactive and chemically hazardous wastes at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. As a result of the team’s work, DOE and the states reached a settlement that addressed the complex technical challenges involved, while requiring DOE to clean up the waste as quickly as possible to prevent further harm to the environment.
The Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is also presented to a team for its exceptional work in United States v. Mendez, and its underlying investigation, Operation Latina Libre. The recipients from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee include Stephen C. Parker, Assistant U.S Attorney; from the department Civil Rights Division Criminal Section Jonathan Skrmetti, Trial Attorney; from the FBI Memphis Field Office, Tracey L. Harris, Special Agent; and ICE Special Agent Greg Swearngin.
Also awarded the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service are members from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) for their extraordinary work in the Chrysler LLC bankruptcy proceedings. The recipients successfully litigated the motion to approve the government-financed sale of Chrysler LLC assets to a new company owned in part by Fiat, the United States and Canada. From the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, team members include: Jeannette A. Vargas, Chief of the Tax and Bankruptcy Unit; and Sean H. Lane, Tara M. LaMorte and Li Yu, Assistant U.S. Attorneys; from OSG, Malcolm L. Stewart, Deputy Solicitor General; and Trial Attorney William M. Jay.
Also receiving the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is the team recognized for its exemplary performance in Operation Phish Phry, a complex and sophisticated international computer intrusion, identity theft, and money laundering investigation. Operation Phish Phry signified the first successful joint cyber crime investigation conducted with law enforcement officials outside of the United States. Nearly 100 multi-national cyber criminals were charged in this landmark case.
Award recipients from the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office include: Supervisory Special Agents Jason N. Smolanoff, Cameron Malin and Ramyar Tabatabaian; Special Agents Todd Munoz and Timothy L. Swec; and Dana J. Lind, Intelligence Analyst; from the FBI’s Bedford, N.H., Resident Agency Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Kieran L. Ramsey; from the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, Special Agent John T. Bestor; from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Ammar Y. Barghouty, Assistant Legal Attaché; and Kiffa Shirley, Special Agent; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Ronald L. Cheng and Mark C. Krause, Assistant U. S. Attorneys; formerly of the Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations Elisa Castrolugo, Trial Attorney; from the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, then-Department of Justice Attaché, Jeffrey Cole; and from the Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Sally L. Meloch.
Another Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is presented to the team involved with the relentless efforts in the investigation and prosecution of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development. While billed as the largest Muslim charity in the United States, the Holy Land Foundation was actually the U.S.-based fundraising arm of the terrorist group Hamas. The team demonstrated unparalleled dedication and teamwork for more than eight years, despite being uprooted from their families and the disappointment of an initial mistrial. The team’s ability resulted in the unraveling of an international conspiracy and one of the most successful terrorism financing cases in the department’s history.
Award recipients from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas are U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks; Nathan Garrett, Former Assistant U.S. Attorney; and Sherien Fatkin and Ofelia C. Perez, Paralegal Specialists; from the NSD Counterterrorism Section, Barry Jonas, Trial Attorney; and Laura B. Shuey, Paralegal Specialist; from the NSD Office of Intelligence, Julie L. Hamilton, Former Attorney-Advisor; and Heidi P. Bauer, Attorney-Advisor; from the Civil Division Federal Programs Branch, Elizabeth J. Shapiro, Deputy Branch Director; from the FBI’s Dallas Field Office, James S. Lewis, Supervisory Special Agent; Special Agents Lara L. Burns, Robert Miranda, Carrie C. Ward and David Kamel; Atef A. Shafik, Language Specialist; from the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, Anne E. Armstrong, Financial Analyst; and from the Department of Defense (DOD) Department of the Army, Task Force Officer Eric Michael Wood.
Among those awarded with the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is the Attorney General’s Chief of Staff and Counselor, Kevin A. Ohlson. For more than 20 years, Ohlson has provided exemplary leadership and service to the Department of Justice and the nation. As Chief of Staff and Counselor to the Attorney General, Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General, he has played a central role in and greatly advanced the programs of the department. As an adjudicator and prosecutor, Ohlson consistently performs in an outstanding fashion in his service to the nation.
Another employee being honored with the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service is Associate Deputy Attorney General Scott N. Schools. Schools is honored for his exemplary performance in senior positions through the department over the course of more than 17 years. In his distinguished career, Schools has performed his duties in each position of increased responsibility in such an admirable manner that it serves as a model for excellence within the department. His tenure as Associate Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Attorney, General Counsel and First Assistant U.S. Attorney has been characterized by extraordinary skill and judgment, outstanding professionalism, unyielding devotion to duty and inspired leadership.
Seventeen individuals were awarded the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for their significant contribution to the review of Guantanamo detainees conducted last year by the Guantanamo Review Task Force. In various leadership roles, the recipients were responsible for directing, guiding, and supporting the review effort to ensure that the task force collected and analyzed all relevant information, and provided informed and reasoned recommendations to senior officials.
Recipients from the Guantanamo Review Task Force include: Matthew G. Olsen, Executive Director; from the NSD Litigation Section, Jay I. Bratt, Former Chief; from the NSD Foreign Investment Review Staff, Tyrone A. Brown, Attorney-Advisor; from the NSD Office of Intelligence, Operations Section, Robert J. Lloyd, Deputy Unit Chief; John T. Gibbs, Trial Attorney; Tracy P. Heckler, Program Specialist; NSD Former Chief of Staff Charles M. Steele; NSD Former Counsels to the Assistant Attorney General Andrew H. Tannenbaum and Kimberley E. Raleigh; and NSD Former Counsel for Law and Policy, Bradley T. Smith; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, Rachel C. Lieber, Assistant U.S. Attorney; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, William E. Fitzpatrick, Deputy U.S. Attorney; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Serrin A. Turner, Assistant U.S. Attorney; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Stephen M. Campbell, Assistant U.S. Attorney; from the department’s Justice Management Division (JMD) Office of the Controller Jolene A. Lauria Sullens, Deputy Assistant Attorney General/Controller; and Maureen E. Lyons, Confidential Assistant; and from the Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs, Dean Boyd, Public Affairs Specialist.
Awarded the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service are members of the OIG for their outstanding work in conducting a review of the department’s involvement in the President’s Surveillance Program (PSP). The data collection exercise pursued under the PSP, and under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments of 2008, involved unprecedented intelligence collection activities. The team’s 407-page report describes the department’s role in analyzing and certifying the legality of the PSP and the FBI’s use of the PSP for derived intelligence in its counterterrorism efforts. Team members include: M. Sean O’Neill and Jonathan A. Marks, Investigative Counsels; Daniel C. Beckhard, Deputy Assistant Inspector General; Kevin F. Becks, Senior Program Analyst; and Paralegal Specialist Dominic N. Russoli.
The final team to receive the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service goes to members of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) who quickly and effectively implemented provisions of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act signed by President Obama. The act provided $2.7 billion of additional grant funding to OJP to support a broad range of crime prevention, law enforcement, and victim assistance activities throughout the nation. Under the team’s leadership, 99.5 percent of the funding was obligated by the end of the fiscal year, the highest rate among all of the federal cabinet agencies.
>From the Office of Audit, Assessment, and Management’s Grants Management Division, award recipients include: Maureen A. Henneberg, Director; and Amy E. Callaghan, Deputy Director; from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Pamela J. Cammarata, Associate Deputy Director; and Carol C. Poole, Acting Deputy Director; from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Katherine Darke Schmitt and Maria Swineford, Deputy Associate Administrators; from the Office of the Assistant Attorney General, Beth McGarry, Deputy Assistant Attorney General; and Brecht C. Donoghue, Policy Advisor; from the Office of Communications, Summer Duncan, Deputy Director; and Angella C. LaTour, Congressional Affairs Specialist; from the Office for Victims of Crime, DeLano A. Foster, Lead Victim Justice Program Specialist; and Richard T. Greenough, Victim Justice Program Specialist; from the Management, Planning, and Performance Branch, Sean A. Lovitt, Chief; from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Larry Hailes, Associate Chief Financial Officer; from the Office of the General Counsel, Charles T. Moses III, Deputy General Counsel; and Ingrid R. Sausjord, Attorney-Advisor; from the Systems Engineering & Operations Branch, Victor T. Pham, Chief; and from the Office of the Chief Information Officer’s Enterprise Application Development Division, Director Bruce W. Whitlock.
The Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement recognizes outstanding professional achievements by law enforcement officers of the Department of Justice. There are two recipients of the award this year.
The Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement is presented to the team who conducted a four year Attorney General’s Exempted Operation, known as Operation Beanpot, targeting five high-level drug trafficking and money laundering groups in the United States and Colombia. This operation led to a total of 78 arrests, the seizure of $9.65 million in U.S. currency, the seizure of 4,837 kilograms of cocaine and the seizure of 7.2 kilograms of heroin. Team members include: from the DEA’s New England Field Division, Jeffrey Larocque, Group Supervisor; and Special Agents Dennis Barton, John Grella and Brian Tomasetta; from the DEA’s Bogotá Country Office, John S. Gazzara, Assistant Regional Director; Sean A. McDonough, Group Supervisor; and John P. Hegarty, Special Agent; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, Zachary R. Hafer, Assistant U.S. Attorney; from the U.S. Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Ryan Talbot, Special Agent; and from the Waltham, Massachusetts Police Department, Detective Lucas Hernandez.
Another Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement is presented to the U.S. Marshals Service Mexico City Foreign Field Office’s Jose Chavarria, Chief Inspector, for his outstanding work, dedication, and exceptional service in the apprehension of more than 500 international fugitives during fiscal years 2008 and 2009, and the extradition and deportation of more than 660 international fugitives. These accomplishments represent record highs for the U.S. Marshals Service. Since Chavarria’s assignment to Mexico City, he has managed the investigations and directed the arrests of 43 high profile felons.
The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in Indian Country recognizes extraordinary efforts by department employees that demonstrate the department’s commitment to fight crime in Indian Country. This award is being presented to the Executive Office for U.S. Attorney’s (EOUSA) Leslie A. Hagen, National Indian Country Training Coordinator, for her sustained commitment to improving the public safety of Native Americans. Hagen has developed training for federal, state, and tribal criminal justice and social service personnel on issues related to federal prosecution of violent crime in Indian Country. Most recently, she was involved in the development of the Attorney General’s Tribal Nations Listening Conference and Indian Country Initiative.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Management recognizes outstanding administrative or managerial achievements that have significantly improved operations and productivity, or reduced costs. Two of these awards are presented this year.
Cherie L. Rogers, ENRD’s Assistant Chief of the Environmental Defense Section, is awarded the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Management for her outstanding performance as the Assistant Chief for Administration and Training. Rogers works closely with various trial teams, masterfully handling all of the trial support logistics and financial planning for the attorneys, support staff, contractors, and experts.
Also presented the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Management for her leadership is Robin C. Ashton, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for Management from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia. Her oversight and direction have guided successful efforts to improve compliance and efficiency in the administrative processes throughout the office, which has affected employees of both District Court and Superior Court.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Information Technology recognizes outstanding achievements in applying information technology to improve operations and productivity, reduce or avoid costs, and solve problems. This award is presented to two teams this year.
The first team awarded the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Information Technology leads ENRD’s E-discovery Workgroup and advises ENRD attorneys on E-discovery matters in civil and criminal cases. They also lead civil and criminal E-discovery initiatives across the department and other federal agencies, and develop and conduct numerous training programs for various federal attorneys. From the EOUSA, Andrew D. Goldsmith, National Criminal Discovery Coordinator; from the ENRD Law and Policy Section, James O. Payne Jr., Senior Counsel; ENRD Senior Attorney Sarah D. Himmelhoch; ENRD Trial Attorney Daniel S. Smith; from the ENRD Environmental Enforcement Section, Bethanne Walinskas, Program Specialist; and from the ENRD Office of Litigation Support, Director Richard D. Sutton.
Also receiving the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Information Technology is a team honored for its outstanding achievement in collaboratively developing and implementing an information technology (IT) solution that greatly improves the department=s national security classified information processing capabilities to support terrorism prosecutions and related national security classified matters. The team’s dedicated work under tight deadlines provided the department with a high speed IT classified litigation support solution that meets the needs of complex national security prosecutions.
>From the NSD Executive Office, recipients include: David E. Borcherding, Supervisory Information Technology Specialist; and Information Technology Matthew P. Harvey and Robert L. Marshall; from the NSD Counterterrorism Section, Michael J. Keegan, Principal Deputy Chief; and Gregory A. Miller, Counterterrorism Specialist; from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, Tucker Greer, Litigation Support Specialist; from the Information Systems Security Staff, Edward L. Shelkey, Chief Information Security Officer; and Daniel D. Hurd, Information Technology Specialist; from the EOUSA Office Automation Staff, Rick W. Sumrall, Information System Security Officer; and David N. Atkins Sr. and Glenn K. Shrieves, Information Technology Specialists; and from the JMD Office of the Chief Information Officer Enterprise Solutions Staff, Jeffrey L. Cotter, Director; and Dale Long and Peter D. Omberg, Deputy Directors.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions towards protecting U.S. national security. Two awards are presented this year.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security is presented to the team that handled more than 240 appeals involving the detainees at Guantanamo Bay. In handling the lead cases, the team members worked closely with the senior leadership of the department, as well as with the Departments of Defense and State, and the CIA. Working under enormous pressure, they produced key briefs and memoranda, briefed high-level department officials, made critical strategic decisions, and produced tremendous results.
>From the Civil Division Appellate Staff, team members include: Thomas M. Bondy, Assistant Branch Director; Douglas N. Letter, Appellate Litigation Counsel; Robert M. Loeb, Appellate Counsel; and Trial Attorneys Matthew M. Collette, Sharon M. Swingle, August E. Flentje, Anne M. Murphy, Sydney A. Foster, Henry C. Whitaker, Catherine Y. Hancock, and Michael P. Abate; from the Civil Division Federal Programs Branch, Terry M. Henry; James J. Gilligan, Assistant Branch Directors; Andrew I. Warden, Trial Attorney; from the Civil Division Commercial Litigation Branch, Phyllis Jo Baunach, Senior Trial Counsel; and from NSD Attorney Paul Ahern.
Another team receiving the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security is a team that spearheaded Operation Render Safe, an investigation that led to the indictment, arrest, and conviction of more than 35 individuals and entities implicated in the provision of sensitive, military and dual use goods to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The team’s work has improved our national security, and serves as a model for related investigative and prosecutorial strategies.
Award recipients from U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida include: Melissa Damian Visconti, Assistant U.S. Attorney; and Angel Martinez, Senior Intelligence Specialist; from the NSD Counterespionage Section, Steven W. Pelak, Deputy Chief; and Ryan P. Fayhee, Trial Attorney; from the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement, Michael Johnson, Special Agent in Charge; and Special Agents Michael Bollinger, Lauren Nieland and John Johnson; from DHS Senior Special Agents Dean Lang and Eric Caron; and from the DOD Defense Criminal Investigative Service Special Agent Blake Schnitker.
The Attorney General’s Award for Equal Employment Opportunity is the department’s highest award for performance in support of the Equal Employment Opportunity Program. This year’s recipient is FBI’s Deirdre Mignon Emmes, Supervisory Special Agent for the Criminal Investigative Division for her outstanding leadership and exemplary performance as the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Special Emphasis Program Coordinator for the Los Angeles Field Office. In an effort to embrace the ideals that the FBI represents, she resolved to create one of the most ground-breaking and proactive programs in the nation.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Legal Support recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of legal support to attorneys by paralegal specialists and other legal assistants. The recipient in the Paralegal Category for this year is Julia P. Wilson, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist for the Federal Programs Branch of the Civil Division. Wilson receives the award for her outstanding leadership in providing litigation support for the past two years to a team of 50 attorneys litigating more than 200 habeas cases brought by detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Legal Support in the Legal Support Category goes to Rita L. Mierzwa, Legal Clerk for the U.S. Trustee Program of the Office of the U.S. Trustee in the Chicago Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST). Mierzwa has demonstrated exceptional professionalism since joining the Region 11 staff in the immediate aftermath of the enactment of bankruptcy reform legislation. Her efforts led to sanctions against attorneys, debtors and others who abuse the bankruptcy system.
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Administrative Support recognizes outstanding performance in administrative or managerial support by an administrative employee or secretary. This year, the award goes to four recipients including, Margaret A. Fenlon-Gore, Case Management Specialist for the Environmental Enforcement Section of ENRD; Deborah M. Chase, Administrative Officer for the U.S. Trustee Program in EOUST’s New Orleans Office; Laurene Aragon MacDonald, Support Staff Supervisor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California; and Karen Hamilton, Data Management Specialist for the Tax Division Civil Trial Section in the Northern Region.
The Claudia J. Flynn Award for Professional Responsibility recognizes a Department of Justice attorney who has made significant contributions in the area of professional responsibility by successfully handling a sensitive and challenging professional responsibility issue in an exemplary fashion and/or leading efforts to ensure that department attorneys carry out their duties in accordance with the rules of professional conduct. This year, John C. (Jack) Keeney, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, is being honored with this award. Mr. Keeney was a key leader of the department for nearly 60 years. He was a charter member of the Senior Executive Service, and is recognized for the exemplary professionalism and integrity with which he managed the department’s public corruption and electronic surveillance efforts.
The Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Service in Freedom of Information Act Administration recognizes exceptional dedication and effort to the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act. This year’s recipient is Unit Chief for the Records Management Division of the FBI, Julia E. Eichhorst. Under Eichhorst’s leadership, the FBI Service Request Unit has successfully negotiated with requesters, ensuring that they receive the specific information they request while reducing the number of processed pages so that resources are not misused.
The Attorney General’s Award for Fraud Prevention recognizes exceptional dedication and effort to prevent, investigate and prosecute fraud, white-collar crimes and official corruption. Awards are presented to two teams this year.
An award is presented to the team who spearheaded the Antitrust Division’s work to help protect Recovery Act funds from procurement fraud by assisting federal, state, and local agencies in ensuring that measures are in place to insulate procurement and program funding processes from bid rigging and other procurement fraud. Antitrust Division members include John F. Terzaken III, Assistant Chief for the National Criminal Enforcement Section and E. Kate Patchen, Trial Attorney for the San Francisco Field Office. Patchen and Terzaken served as the co-chairs of the Antitrust Division’s Recovery Act Initiative aimed at training government officials to prevent, detect, and report efforts by individuals to unlawfully profit from the stimulus awards. As a result of the team’s resourcefulness and planning, the division was able to offer training to procurement officials, auditors, and investigators within weeks of the passage of the Recovery Act.
Also receiving the Attorney General’s Award for Fraud Prevention is the team who led the prosecution of United States v. BAE Systems (BAES). Years of detailed investigation and intense negotiations resulted in BAES’s guilty plea. The successful conclusion of this matter exemplifies the United States’ continued leadership in combating international corruption, and affirms the department’s willingness to investigate and appropriately resolve the most challenging of criminal cases. Team members from the Criminal Division Fraud Section include: Mark F. Mendelsohn, Deputy Chief; and Nathaniel B. Edmonds, Senior Litigation Counsel; from the FBI’s Northern Virginia Resident Agency Travis G. Wiehn, Special Agent; from the NSD Counterespionage Section, Patrick T. Murphy, Trial Attorney; from the General Services Administration Office of the Inspector General Nacieve Owens, Special Agent; from ICE, Theodore Schmitz, Special Agent; and from the DOD Defense Criminal Investigative Service James Hitchcock, Special Agent.
The Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety recognizes outstanding achievement in the development and support of community partnerships designed to address public safety within a community. The award recognizes the significant contributions of citizens and organizations that have assisted the department in the accomplishment of these programs. This year’s award recipient is Tyrone Parker, Executive Director for the Alliance of Concerned Men. Parker receives the award for his dedication to deterring gang violence and empowering young men to reach their potential.
The Cubby Dorsey Award for Outstanding Contributions by a Wage Grade System Employee recognizes extraordinary performance and contributions by wage grade system employees, including laborers, mechanics, and skilled craft workers. One award is presented this year to Henry R. Mills, Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanical Supervisor for the Federal Correctional Institution Williamsburg in Salters, S.C., of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Mills’ initiative and diligence in investigating more efficient means of cooling 18 ice machines in use at the Federal Corrections Institution Williamsburg was exemplary. Through his efforts, the institution was able to reduce its environmental impact via a reduction of more than 2.5 million gallons of water annually, resulting in a savings to the institution of more than $100,000.
The Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee recognizes exceptional performance and notable accomplishments towards the department’s mission by an employee with fewer than five years of federal career service. Recipients include: Magdeline Amaro, Secretary for the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami of the BOP; Eric Fleisig-Greene, Trial Attorney for the Civil Division Appellate Staff; and from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, Joseph M. Tripi, Assistant U.S. Attorney.
The John Marshall Awards are the Department of Justice’s highest awards offered to attorneys, for contributions and excellence in specialized areas of legal performance. Fourteen awards in nine categories are presented this year.
The John Marshall Award for Trial of Litigation is presented to attorneys from the Department of Justice Civil Division Commercial Litigation Branch for the team’s exceptional representation of the United States in three hearings before an international tribunal, regarding state-to-state disputes between the United States and Canada. The team’s ability to absorb a new set of litigation skills and use them to great effect against Canada’s very capable private counsel reflects well upon the department. Recipients include: Patricia M. McCarthy, Assistant Branch Director; Senior Trial Counsels Claudia Burke and Gregg M. Schwind; and Trial Attorneys, Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong, Antonia R. Soares and Stephen C. Tosini.
The John Marshall Award for Trial of Litigation is also presented to Laura R. Bach, John G. Giovannelli and Sean P. Tonolli, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Columbia, for their involvement with the investigation and prosecution of a violent Washington, D.C., gang known as “22nd Street.” The trial lasted more than nine months and included more than 75 motions, 70 witnesses, and introduced approximately 500 exhibits into evidence.
The John Marshall Award for Participation in Litigation was awarded to members of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section. Award recipients include Timothy J. Moran, Deputy Chief; and Trial Attorneys Christopher J. Fregiato, Andrea K. Steinacker, Julie J. Allen, R. Tamar Hagler, Lucy G. Carlson and Jennifer L. Maranzano. This team is honored for its exceptional work in litigating United States v. Sterling, a major Fair Housing Act case alleging that the defendants unlawfully discriminated against African Americans, Hispanics and families with children at apartment buildings they owned and managed in Los Angeles County. The result required the defendants to pay a record $2.7 million in damages and civil penalties, the largest monetary payment ever obtained in the settlement of a case alleging housing discrimination.
Another John Marshall Award for Participation in Litigation is awarded to an attorney from the Department of Justice Tax Division for his outstanding work as lead counsel for the government in AT&T Inc. v. United States. Grover Hartt III, Senior Level Trial Attorney for the Civil Trial Section of the Southwestern Region, assembled and guided the government’s excellent trial team, developed its litigating strategy, oversaw an exceptionally complex and demanding discovery process—conducting crucial portions of it himself—and authored the briefs that resolved the case in the government’s favor.
The John Marshall Award for Support of Litigation is presented to the Criminal Division Office of International Affairs’ Randy Toledo, Deputy Director, and Kenneth J. Harris, Associate Director. This team is recognized for its outstanding contributions in the conception, negotiation, ratification, and implementation of the historic Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties with the European Union (EU). This effort, led at its inception by the late Mark Richard, the department’s Counselor to the European Union in Brussels, spanned eight years and also involved the negotiation of 54 separate and complex implementing agreements with the individual EU member states. The treaties were the first law enforcement treaties entered into by the United States with the EU.
The John Marshall Award for the Handling of Appeals is presented to Charles W. Scarborough, Trial Attorney for the Appellate Staff of the Civil Division, and Judith A. Hagley, Attorney for the Appellate Section of the Tax Division.
Scarborough secured major victories under the False Claims Act that have enhanced the government’s ability to ensure integrity in areas such as Medicare and student loan programs. He successfully defended a variety of statutes and regulations against constitutional challenges, and his perseverance in his defense of the Child On-Line Protection Act over his decade in the department.
Hagley is honored for her exceptional skill and success in briefing and arguing the most influential and high-profile tax shelter cases to reach the Appellate Section. Her personal accomplishments in handling this sensitive, difficult, and complex litigation have laid the groundwork for success in the Tax Division and the IRS.
This year’s John Marshall Award for Providing Legal Advice is presented to Jonathan J. Wroblewski, Director for the Criminal Division’s Office of Policy and Legislation, for his exemplary and sustained role in leading the development of crime policy for the department. Wroblewski has also been an effective advocate on sentencing and criminal discovery issues, and has represented the department with the Judiciary, the White House, Congress and the public.
Also receiving this year’s John Marshall Award for Providing Legal Advice is the team who provided invaluable counsel to the White House, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Departments of Transportation and Justice in the formulation of the groundbreaking joint rulemaking by EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from new motor vehicles. Team members from the ENRD Appellate Section include: Lisa E. Jones, Assistant Chief; and David C. Shilton, Trial Attorney; from the ENRD Environmental Defense Section, Christopher S. Vaden, Deputy Chief; Thomas A. Lorenzen, Assistant Chief; and Jon M. Lipshultz, Senior Counsel for Appellate Matters; from the Civil Division Appellate Staff, Henry Thomas Byron III, Trial Attorney; and Mark B. Stern, Appellate Litigation Counsel; and from the Office of the Associate Attorney General, Deputy Associate Attorney General A. Marisa Chun.
The John Marshall Award for Preparation or Handling of Legislation is awarded to a team for its outstanding performance in developing and advocating the department’s position on critical hate crimes legislation, entitled the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009. This landmark legislation strengthened and expanded federal laws prohibiting hate crimes by allowing prosecution of violence motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation, gender or disability. Team members from the Office of Legal Policy include: Rajesh De, Deputy Assistant Attorney General; and Paul R. Almanza, Chief of Staff; from the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section, Mark J. Kappelhoff, Chief; Barbara K. Bosserman, Senior Legal Counsel; from the Civil Rights Division Policy and Strategy Section, Acting Chief Karen L. Stevens; and from the Office of Legislative Affairs Deputy Assistant Attorney General Judith C. Appelbaum.
The John Marshall Award for Asset Forfeiture is presented to members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their extraordinary work in forfeiting assets on behalf of victims of the massive securities fraud executed by Marc Dreier. In addition to securing a preliminary forfeiture order that imposed a $746.7 million judgment against Dreier and ordered the forfeiture of Dreier’s interest in 177 properties worth more than $80 million, the team helped pioneer a model for handling simultaneous collateral litigation of forfeiture, bankruptcy and securities enforcement actions. Award recipients include: Sharon Cohen Levin, Chief for the Asset Forfeiture Unit; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Alberts, Anna E. Arreola, Matthew L. Schwartz, Amy Lester and Jonathan R. Streeter.
The John Marshall Award for Alternative Dispute Resolution recipients are members of the Department of Justice Civil Division Commercial Litigation Branch. Shalom Brilliant, Senior Trial Counsel, and Kenneth S. Kessler, Trial Attorney, are honored for their achievements in utilizing Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to settle more than 260 breach of contract lawsuits brought by owners of more than 780 federally-subsidized low-income rental apartment projects throughout the country. They utilized ADR to creatively reach a solution that avoided risks, and potentially saved the government hundreds of millions of dollars.
Also awarded the John Marshall Award for Alternative Dispute Resolution are members of ENRD. Award recipients include: David W. Harder, Trial Attorney for the Indian Resources Section; Stephen M. Macfarlane, Attorney for the Natural Resources Section; and Stacy R. Stoller, Attorney for the Law and Policy Section, for their analysis, incisive legal advice, and tireless negotiations in connection with the global settlement regarding the fish, water, and hydropower resources of the Klamath River Basin in Oregon and California. The team’s work with clients such as the Departments of Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture led to two historic agreements, the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement and the Klamath Hydropower Settlement Agreement.
The John Marshall Interagency Cooperation in Support of Litigation Award is presented to the following team for their extraordinary efforts in defending the National Marine Fisheries Service’s 2008 biological opinion, and in working with the administration to develop and defend its new Adaptive Management Implementation Plan for the 2008 biological opinion. From ENRD Wildlife and Marine Resources Section, recipients include: Seth M. Barsky, Acting Chief; and Trial Attorneys Carter H. (Coby) Howell and Bridget K. McNeil; from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of Counsel of the Northwest Division, Gayle Lear, Assistant Division Counsel; from the Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association Office of the Northwest Regional Counsel, Mark Eames, Attorney-Advisor; from the DOI Office of the Regional Solicitor Pacific Northwest Region, Duane Mecham, Attorney-Advisor; and from the Bonneville Power Administration, Deputy General Counsel for the Office of General Counsel Paul Majkut.