Divisions
Criminal Division
The Criminal Division is the largest division in the office. Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) investigate and prosecute cases arising from a vast array of criminal activity. The Criminal Division has assumed new responsibilities due to the fight against terrorism. In this area, the mandate is to prevent injuries, death and destruction first, and to prosecute second. The Criminal Division is divided into two main sections, Violent Crimes and White Collar Crimes, In addition, the Asset Forfeiture Unit also falls under the Criminal Division.
Violent Crimes Section
The Violent Crimes Section prosecutes crimes such as terrorism, organized crime (including gambling), child exploitation, bank robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, extortion, civil rights and hate crimes violations, and immigration offenses. The section handles a large number of cases and matters involving federal firearms violations. Assistants in this section prosecute offenses such as felon in possession of firearms, illegal aliens in possession of firearms, illegal trafficking in firearms, and offenses involving possession of other illegal weapons and explosives. The AUSAs in this section also serve as the leadership for Project Safe Neighborhoods and the initiatives under its umbrella.
The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which also operates under this section, is the United States' primary weapon against the highest level drug-trafficking organizations operating within the United States, importing drugs into the United States, or laundering the proceeds of drug trafficking.
White Collar Section - Public Corruption and Government Fraud
The White Collar Section is responsible for prosecuting a wide range of complex cases, including public corruption, health care fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and mail and wire fraud. Public corruption is one of the district's highest priorities. The United States Attorney must contribute to the district's stability by rigorously prosecuting fraud and public corruption so that innocent do not suffer devastating financial losses and so that public confidence in financial institutions and in government is maintained and justified. This section is also charged with the expanding prosecution of computer crimes. In addition to computer crime, this section prosecutes a variety of other federal violations including mail and wire fraud, theft, passport or other document fraud, postal crimes, social security fraud, telemarketing fraud, check fraud, commercial loan fraud, counterfeit negotiable instruments, mortgage fraud, bank fraud, arson, tax
Asset Forfeiture Unit
The primary function of the Asset Forfeiture Unit is to use the federal forfeiture laws to disrupt and deter criminal activity, dismantle criminal enterprises and to separate criminals and their associates from their ill-gotten gains. This unit pursues all civil forfeiture matters and cases and assists Criminal Division AUSAs with forfeiture-related issues in criminal prosecutions. Forfeited assets are used to fund federal, state, and local law enforcement activities to the extent permitted by federal law and, similarly, in appropriate cases, to provide full or partial restitution to victims of criminal activity.
Civil Division
The Civil Division is comprised of three sections: Defensive Litigation, Affirmative Civil Enforcement, and Financial Litigation. The main office in Pittsburgh is responsible for all civil litigation in the District, including Erie and Johnstown, with the exception of Social Security Disability Claims.
Defensive Litigation Section
The Defensive Litigation Section is responsible for defending the United States, its agencies, and its employees in all civil matters in district court and when necessary in state court. (This would include subpoena enforcement as well as resisting disclosure in state criminal or civil proceedings where the United States is not a party.) The primary responsibilities of this section are torts (medical malpractice, excessive force, wrongful arrest, personal injury, etc.); employment discrimination; constitutional challenges; and program litigation, i.e. review of administrative or federal agency actions. In addition to purely defensive representation, this Section also represents the U.S. and its agencies in bankruptcy court, generally as creditors.
Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Section
The Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) section is
responsible for civil fraud enforcement actions in
the Western District of Pennsylvania. The attorneys
in this section, as well as the investigator assigned,
participate in the local Health Care Task Force. This
section works closely with the Criminal Division of
the office in "parallel" civil prosecutions,
seeking remedies which are traditionally civil in
nature, but have punitive and deterrent as well as
compensatory characteristics. These remedies include
monetary recovery under the False Claims Act and several
civil monetary recovery statutes such as 18 U.S.C.
1345. Primarily, the ACE section is involved only
in cases where the federal government has a financial/commercial
loss or
was an intended victim, when federal funds were involved.
However, other areas where loss of federal funds is
not essential for a potential civil recovery are drug
diversion matters, environmental crimes, and financial
institution fraud cases.
Financial Litigation Unit
The Financial Litigation Unit (FLU) is responsible for the collection of all criminal and civil debt recoveries in the Western District. This entails collection on criminal fines, restitution, civil penalties and payments on civil debts such as defaulted student loans. Routinely, this unit's debt collection exceeds by millions of dollars the total operating budget of the entire office. The unit also oversees and supervises civil foreclosure actions on behalf of the U.S. and its agencies.
Appellate Division
The Appellate Division handles all appeals in civil
and criminal cases to the United States Court of Appeals
for the Third Circuit, which is based in Philadelphia
and has appellate jurisdiction of federal cases arising
in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the United
States Virgin Islands. Upon final judgment in federal
district court, the losing party may appeal to the
Court of Appeals, which reviews the rulings of the
district court. Most of the government's appeals are
appeals by criminal defendants from their convictions
and sentences. Handling an appeal generally involves
a thorough review of the record, the preparation of
an extensive brief, and the presentation of oral argument
before a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals
sitting in either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.
The Appellate Division also provides legal advice to the United States Attorney and other Assistant United States Attorneys on various legal and policy issues.
Administrative Division
The Administrative Division provides support to the U.S. Attorney's Office staff in the areas of human resources, financial management, acquisitions management, systems (information technology) management, facilities management, public affairs, and support services.