Attorney General Holder Appoints Three New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory Committee

February 1, 2010 - Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the appointment of three new U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): Sanford Coats of the Western District of Oklahoma; Steven M. Dettelbach of the Northern District of Ohio; and Jim Letten of the Eastern District of Louisiana.

“I welcome the addition of these U.S. Attorneys to the AGAC, which plays a critical role in the department. I will rely heavily on them as we work to further the department’s efforts to reduce violent crime and gang violence, promote civil rights, ensure fairness in the marketplace and above all, preserve our national security,” said Attorney General Holder.

The AGAC, chaired by U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota B. Todd Jones, was created in 1973. The committee, which reports to the Attorney General through the Deputy Attorney General, represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management and operational issues impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys.

A brief bio on each appointee is below:

Sanford Coats was presidentially appointed U.S. for the Western District of Oklahoma on Dec. 30, 2009. Prior to his appointment he served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma (2004-2009); Assistant U.S. Attorney on detail for the Eastern District of Louisiana (2007), and an associate attorney with Fellers, Snider, Blankenship, Bailey & Tippens (1999-2003).

Steven Dettelbach was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio on Sept. 17, 2009. He previously served as a partner with Baker & Hostetler LLP (2006-2009); Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio (2003-2006); Counsel to the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate (2001-2003); Assistant U.S. Attorney (1997-1999) and Deputy Chief for the Southern Division, (1997-2001), District of Maryland; trial attorney (1992-1996) and Acting Deputy Chief (1996-1997), Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice; and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Columbia (1993). Dettelbach serves as Chair of the AGAC’s Civil Rights Subcommittee.

Jim Letten was presidentially appointed U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana in 2005 by then-President George W. Bush. He was the court appointed U.S. Attorney from August 2001-2005, and Attorney General appointed from April - August 2001. Letten served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana (1994-2001), and Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Organized Crime Strike Force Unit (1990-1994). In 2005, Letten was awarded the 2005 U.S. Attorney General’s Medallion for Distinguished Service recognizing his leadership following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Letten serves on the AGAC’s Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee, Violent and Organized Crime Subcommittee and Environmental Issues Working Group.

The full Committee is listed below:
B. Todd Jones, U.S. Attorney, District of Minnesota, Chair
Paul J. Fishman, U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey, Vice Chair
Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of New York
Dennis Burke, U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona
Sanford C. Coats, U.S. Attorney, Western District of Oklahoma
Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Ohio
Jenny Durkan, U.S. Attorney, Western District of Washington
Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Illinois
Jim Letten, U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Louisiana
Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Virginia
Peter F. Neronha, U.S. Attorney, District of Rhode Island
Joyce White Vance, U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Alabama
Channing D. Phillips, Acting U.S. Attorney, ex officio, District of Columbia
John S. Davis, Criminal Chief, Eastern District of Virginia
Gretchen Witt, Civil Chief, District of New Hampshire