A new chapter begins for the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Middle District of Georgia as Shanelle Booker steps into the role of Acting U.S. Attorney. Ms. Booker, a lifelong Georgian and experienced federal prosecutor, took on her new responsibilities on January 12, 2025, under the Vacancies Reform Act. Her appointment marks a historic moment as she becomes the first Black person and Black woman to lead this office.
Ms. Booker has been serving as a federal prosecutor in the Middle District since 2015, holding various leadership positions such as Criminal Division Chief and First Assistant U.S. Attorney. She expressed her commitment to maintaining continuity within the office, stating, “It is an honor for me to serve the citizens of the Middle District of Georgia in this leadership role, and to ensure the good work of the office continues seamlessly.”
Her legal career has seen her involved in prosecuting significant cases involving violent crime, child exploitation, sex trafficking, public corruption, and fraud. Beyond her professional duties, Ms. Booker is active in community service with a focus on youth mentoring programs like Girl Squad Mentoring Program and Read United Program.
In addition to her role as Acting U.S. Attorney, Ms. Booker contributes academically as an adjunct professor at Mercer University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences where she teaches criminal justice courses.
Raised in Riverdale and educated at Hampton University and Northwestern University School of Law, Ms. Booker's early career included clerking for U.S. District Judge Brian Miller before serving as a state public defender in Brunswick Judicial Circuit Defender’s Office.
As Acting U.S. Attorney for a district that encompasses 70 counties including major cities like Albany and Athens with over two million residents, Ms. Booker oversees prosecutions related to terrorism, narcotics trafficking among other federal crimes while also defending civil cases involving the United States.