U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts
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| U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
| Name | U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts |
| Type | United States Attorney's Office |
| Formed | 1789 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Jurisdiction | United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts |
| Parent agency | United States Department of Justice |
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts is the federal prosecutorial office representing the United States in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and in related matters before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The office prosecutes violations of federal statutes such as the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Controlled Substances Act, and the False Claims Act, and defends the United States in civil litigation involving federal interests. Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the office coordinates with agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
History
The office traces federal prosecutorial authority to the Judiciary Act of 1789 and early appointments under President George Washington. Over the nineteenth century, the office intersected with figures and events such as the War of 1812, the Abolitionist movement, and admiralty litigation tied to the Embargo Act of 1807. In the twentieth century, the office prosecuted matters connected to the Espionage Act of 1917, Prohibition, and antitrust enforcement under the Sherman Antitrust Act, engaging with agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and cases influenced by the New Deal. During the postwar period, cases touched on issues involving the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and national security controversies related to the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. The office spearheaded organized crime and public corruption investigations tied to the Italian-American Mafia and figures pursued under RICO statutes, and later addressed terrorism-related prosecutions after the September 11 attacks. Prominent collaborations involved the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Jurisdiction and Organization
The office exercises prosecutorial authority across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, working in federal courts alongside judges from the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and appellate judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. It coordinates with federal, state, and local partners such as the Massachusetts State Police, the Boston Police Department, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and task forces led by the FBI and the DEA. Organizationally, the office is part of the United States Department of Justice and follows policies from the Attorney General of the United States and the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. It interacts with national programs like the Asset Forfeiture Program and initiatives from the Civil Rights Division and the Criminal Division (DOJ).
Notable Cases and Prosecutions
The office has prosecuted major matters including financial fraud cases tied to firms scrutinized by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, high-profile public corruption prosecutions involving municipal officials and state legislators, and healthcare fraud under the False Claims Act related to providers and insurers. It has pursued antitrust cases invoking the Clayton Antitrust Act and criminal antitrust enforcement in coordination with the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. The office handled terrorism prosecutions referencing material support statutes and collaborated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Notable prosecutions involved cross-border narcotics conspiracies with partners such as DEA and Homeland Security Investigations, tax prosecutions with IRS Criminal Investigation, and cybercrime cases working with the United States Secret Service and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. The office litigated civil enforcement actions involving the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services, and pursued Medicare and Medicaid fraud with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Office of Inspector General (HHS).
U.S. Attorneys and Leadership
The office has been led by a succession of U.S. Attorneys appointed by Presidents including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. Leadership includes Executive Assistants, Chief Deputies, and Division Chiefs who coordinate with DOJ leadership such as the Attorney General of the United States, the Deputy Attorney General, and the Solicitor General of the United States when cases reach the Supreme Court of the United States. The office’s leaders frequently interact with congressional committees including the United States Senate Judiciary Committee and the United States House Committee on the Judiciary during confirmations and oversight.
Offices and Divisions
The office maintains offices in multiple locations across Massachusetts, including principal offices in Boston, and staffed branch locations serving regions such as Worcester, Massachusetts, Springfield, Massachusetts, and New Bedford, Massachusetts. Internal divisions align with DOJ practice areas: the Criminal Division, Civil Division, Appellate Division, Narcotics Task Force units, Public Corruption Strike Forces, Environmental Crimes section, Civil Rights section, and White-Collar Crime units. These divisions coordinate with federal entities including the United States Attorney General’s National Security Division, the Office of the Inspector General (DOJ), and interagency groups like the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and the National Security Council.
Community Outreach and Initiatives
The office runs outreach programs partnering with entities such as the Massachusetts Bar Association, local universities like Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University, and community organizations including neighborhood coalitions and victim advocacy groups. Initiatives address prescription drug abuse in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, reentry programs coordinating with the Bureau of Prisons, and human trafficking prevention aligned with the Department of Health and Human Services and Office for Victims of Crime. Educational efforts include joint training with the Federal Judicial Center, seminars with the National Association of Attorneys General, and cooperative work with prosecutors’ offices such as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut.