Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., has served as the Executive Director of the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) since December 2021, managing an over 80-member staff of investigators, analysts, and NCDF call center managers and operations specialists. Mr. Gathe will continue to carry out the mission of, and diligently work to improve, the NCDF’s responsibilities to further the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, and to advocate for victims of such fraud.
Mr. Gathe is also the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana (MDLA). As the chief federal law enforcement official in the district, Mr. Gathe is responsible for enforcing the federal criminal laws, representing the U.S. government in civil proceedings, and managing programs for federal, state, and local law enforcement, all with the primary goal of ensuring community safety. The district covers a nine-parish region in South Central Louisiana that includes Ascension, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, St. Helena, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana Parishes.
Prior to his appointment as the United States Attorney for the MDLA, Mr. Gathe previously served as the Chief of Trials, District Attorney’s Office, for the 18th Judicial District of Louisiana. In that role, he was responsible for supervising staff and overseeing all trials held in the District. Prior to that position, Mr. Gathe was a Section Chief in the 19th Judicial District of Louisiana’s Criminal Division, and was responsible for prosecuting a broad range of felony crimes including homicide, sexual assault, robbery, and other crimes of violence.
Mr. Gathe is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he attended St. Francis Xavier School and Catholic High School. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in 1996. He also received his Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center in 2000. While in law school, he was a member of the Moot Court Board, Black Law Students Association, Louis Martinet Legal Society, and National Bar Association. After law school, Mr. Gathe worked as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable James Best in the 18th Judicial District Court of Louisiana. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at Southern University Law Center where he taught criminal procedure, criminal law, and trial advocacy. At Southern, he also supervised the law school’s externs who prosecutedtried actual criminal cases. His work earned him recognition as a Distinguished Alumni, Southern University Law Center.
Mr. Gathe has served as the First President of the Louisiana Black Prosecutors Association, which he helped established. While President, Louisiana was awarded Chapter of the Year. He has also served as Regional Director, Vice President of Membership, and Treasurer of the National Black Prosecutors Association. He was acknowledged by the National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA) at the National Convention for having 15-years’ experience, and received the NBPA President Special Recognition Award.