About Us

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut is one of the nation's oldest. Pierrepont Edwards, the District's first United States Attorney, was appointed by President George Washington in 1789.

Edwards was the eleventh and youngest child of one of the greatest theologians in our nation's history, the Reverend Jonathan Edwards. Pierrepont Edwards graduated from Princeton College in 1768, at the age of 18. He fought in two battles in the Revolutionary War, and thereafter was a member of the Connecticut Convention held in January 1788, a convention that ratified the Constitution of the United States. He was also a member of the convention that drafted Connecticut's Constitution. Edwards served as United States Attorney for 17 years until, in 1806, President Thomas Jefferson appointed him as United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut. Edwards' descendants include Eli Whitney.

Today, Kevin J. O'Connor serves as the District's 48th United States Attorney. Mr. O'Connor was nominated by President George W. Bush and sworn in to office in November 2002.

The United States Attorney's Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and with representing the federal government in civil litigation in the District. The office currently employs 60 attorneys and 48 staff members who work in three offices located in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport.

The Deputy United States Attorney, John H. Durham, assists in the overall supervision and management of the Office and in the formulation and implementation of major policies and programs. Leonard C. Boyle serves as Counsel to the United States Attorney.

The United States Attorney's Office in Connecticut is divided into two divisions, Criminal and Civil.

The Criminal Division

The Criminal Division is responsible for enforcing federal criminal laws. Assistant United States Attorneys in the Criminal Division prosecute cases involving public corruption, corporate fraud, firearms violations, narcotics trafficking, violent crimes, health care fraud, economic crimes, organized crime, computer fraud and computer crimes, civil rights violations, environmental violations, and child pornography.

The Chief of the Criminal Division, James I. Glasser, is responsible for the direction and supervision of all federal criminal matters in Connecticut. He also supervises all of the specialized units within the Criminal Division, including the Organized Crime Strike Force Unit, supervised by Karen L. Peck, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, supervised by Peter D. Markle, Appeals, supervised by Jeffrey Meyer and the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, coordinated by John A. Danaher III.

The Civil Division

The Civil Division of the United States Attorney's office in Connecticut handles a wide variety of cases where the United States and/or its employees are plaintiffs or defendants. The Civil Division defends lawsuits filed against the United States, including tort, medical malpractice and employment discrimination claims, immigration litigation, and foreclosures and social security disability appeals. The Civil Division's Affirmative Civil Enforcement program pursues claims on behalf of the Untied States in cases involving health care fraud, environmental violations and defense contractor fraud. The Chief of the Civil Division, John B. Hughes, has responsibility for the supervision of all Civil Division Assistant United States Attorneys and the operation of the Civil Division. The Civil Division also has an Asset Forfeiture Unit, which is dedicated to recovering the proceeds of illegal activity, and a Financial Litigation Unit, which is responsible for collecting debts owed to the United States. The Financial Litigation Unit is headed by Assistant United States Attorney Christine Sciarrino.

Administrative Division

The Administrative Division is responsible for providing a comprehensive support program for all employees in the United States Attorney's Office in Connecticut, including financial management, human resources, information resource management, contracting and procurement, records management and security. Mary Lapitino is the District's Administrative Officer

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United States Attorney's Office Alumni

Many former United States Attorneys and Assistant United States Attorneys have continued their distinguished careers in public service after leaving the Office. A number of former members of the Office have served or are serving in a variety of important federal and state public offices.

Members of the Judiciary

Former United States Attorney Jon O. Newman presently serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and, prior to his appointment to the Court of Appeals, served as a United States District Judge in Connecticut.

Other former United States Attorneys who have gone on to serve as United States District Court Judges in Connecticut include:

Pierrepont Edwards
William D. Shipman
Robert Zampano
Peter C. Dorsey
Alan H. Nevas
Christopher F. Droney

Additionally, former United States Attorney Stephen C. Robinson serves as a judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Former United States Attorney Albert S. Dabrowski now serves as the Chief United States Bankruptcy Court Judge for the District of Connecticut. Former Assistant United States Attorney Deirdre A. Martini currently serves as United States Trustee for the Second Judicial Circuit.

Alumni who have gone on to become United States Magistrate Judges in Connecticut include:

F. Owen Eagan
Thomas P. Smith
Holly B. Fitzsimmons
Donna F. Martinez

Three alumni of the United States Attorney's Office have gone on to serve on the Connecticut Supreme Court:

Justice Robert Glass
Chief Justice Francis M. McDonald
Justice Richard N. Palmer

The following alumni have served or now serve as Connecticut Superior Court Judges:

Hadley W. Austin
Simon S. Cohen
Henry Cohn
Robert J. Devlin, Jr.,
Carmen E. Espinosa
Michael Hartmere
Barbara Bailey Jongbloed
Linda K. Lager
Douglas S. Lavine
John F. Mulcahy, Jr.
Howard Owens
Carl J. Schuman
Barry K. Stevens

Appointed Positions

Other former Assistant United States Attorneys have gone on to other important law enforcement positions, both nationally and in Connecticut. After leaving office, Thomas J. Spellacy served as an Assistant Attorney General of the United States and Assistant Secretary of the Navy. David Margolis currently serves as Assistant Deputy Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Paul Coffey became Chief of the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington. Andrew B. Bowman served as Federal Public Defender for Connecticut after leaving the office. John A. Connolly now serves as State's Attorney for Waterbury, Connecticut. Another alumnus, Arnold Markle, went on to serve for many years as the State's Attorney for New Haven. His son Peter currently serves as Chief of the Office's OCDETF unit. Leonard Boyle was appointed Connecticut Commissioner of Public Safety in 2004.

After serving as United States Attorney, Stanley A. Twardy, Jr. served as Chief of Staff to Connecticut Governor Lowell P. Weicker.

Elected Positions

Former United States Attorney Nathan Smith went on to serve as United States Senator in Connecticut. Thomas J. Spellacy was elected Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut in 1935. Former United States Attorney Richard Blumenthal is currently serving his fourth term as Attorney General for the State of Connecticut.

Alumni Association

There is an active Alumni Association of the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut. In addition to hosting an annual dinner for all alumni, the Alumni Association is currently compiling a history of the United States Attorney's Office in Connecticut. Anyone interested in assisting in this project or joining the Alumni Association is encouraged to contact former United States Attorney Stanley A. Twardy, Jr. at satwardy@dbh.com.