United States Attorney Martin Estrada has announced his resignation from the Justice Department, where he served as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Central District of California. Estrada, who has held this position since September 2022, will step down on January 17. His role involved overseeing over 500 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and staff in a district that serves nearly 20 million people across seven counties.
Estrada expressed gratitude for his time in office, stating, "As the child of immigrants from Guatemala, neither my family nor I could ever have believed that I would one day have the opportunity to serve as United States Attorney in service to the greatest country in the world." He added that serving in this capacity was "the greatest privilege" of his life.
During his tenure, Estrada focused on several key areas including hate crimes, civil rights violations, violent crime reduction, national security threats, and combating synthetic drug trafficking. Noteworthy achievements include prosecuting hate crimes such as convicting a man for attempting to murder two Jewish men and dismantling a Neo-Nazi organization. In civil rights cases, his office charged a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy with unlawful detention and convicted others for excessive force and bribery.
Estrada also prioritized tackling violent crime through initiatives like Operation Safe Cities and addressed national security issues by prosecuting cases involving illegal military information transmission and cybercrime. His efforts against synthetic drugs led to significant prosecutions against traffickers operating both domestically and internationally.
Public corruption was another focus area under Estrada's leadership. His office secured convictions against various public officials including former Los Angeles city councilman Jose Huizar. To address corporate fraud and financial crimes more effectively, he launched a dedicated strike force targeting complex corporate offenses.
Estrada emphasized community outreach during his term by creating programs aimed at protecting vulnerable communities and addressing environmental justice concerns. He also expanded recruitment efforts to better reflect regional diversity within his office.
President Biden nominated Estrada for U.S. Attorney on June 6, 2022; he was confirmed by the Senate on September 13 of that year. Before becoming U.S. Attorney, Estrada had an extensive legal career including serving as an Assistant United States Attorney from 2007 to 2014.