United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown has announced his resignation from the Department of Justice, effective January 20, 2025. Brown was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., confirmed by the Senate in December 2021, and served as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana since then.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime and the pinnacle of my career to serve the American people and the citizens of the Western District of Louisiana for 12 years, with the last 3 being the U.S. Attorney," said Brown. He expressed gratitude towards President Biden, Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, and Attorney General Merrick Garland for their support.
During his tenure, Brown led an office comprising approximately 90 prosecutors and staff members responsible for federal criminal and civil cases in Louisiana's Western District. He was involved in various investigations related to violent crimes, drug trafficking, public corruption, and white-collar offenses.
Brown also served on several committees within the Department of Justice (DOJ), including Attorney General Merrick Garland's Advisory Committee (AGAC) as a representative for the Fifth Circuit. He participated in subcommittees focused on white-collar crime, violent crime, and civil rights.
Under his leadership, significant reductions in violent crime rates were noted in Shreveport and Monroe divisions due to strategic partnerships with local law enforcement agencies. Notable prosecutions during his term included cases involving child exploitation, drug trafficking conspiracies linked to Mexican cartels, fraud schemes exploiting pandemic relief programs like PPP loans, and efforts against racially discriminatory policing practices by state authorities.
Brown began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney before becoming an Assistant U.S. Attorney for Louisiana's Western District in November 2012. After a brief period in private practice starting March 2018 he returned later that year serving key roles within Shreveport Criminal Division until appointed U.S Attorney again late-2021 whereupon assuming charge till date announcing resignation today October twenty-second this year two-thousand-twenty-four
Following Brown’s departure First Assistant U.S attorney Alexander C Van Hook will take over as Acting United States attorney pending nomination confirmation process undertaken by Senate subsequent Presidential appointment pursuant Vacancies Reform Act regulations governing such transitions within DOJ framework overall nationwide operational structure