U.S. Department of Justice
48th Annual Awards Ceremony
July 28, 2000
Constitution Hall
The Attorney General's Annual Awards Ceremony presents a special opportunity
to recognize the employees of the U.S. Department of Justice, and several individuals
from outside the Department, who have made extraordinary contributions toward
the accomplishment of the Department's important law enforcement and administration
of justice missions, objectives, and initiatives. Their outstanding contributions
and achievements represent the highest level of professionalism, competence,
and dedication to duty.
The Attorney General's Awards are the highest honors granted by the Department
of Justice. They acknowledge the exemplary efforts and personal sacrifices made
by the Award recipients, who are deeply appreciated by their colleagues, the
Department, and the Nation. The events of the past year have once again presented
many challenges to the Department, and I am proud of how all Department employees
have responded to them.
Janet Reno
Attorney General
The Attorney General wishes to express her appreciation to the following Department
officials for their assistance in evaluating this year's award nominations.
The 2000 award recipients were recommended and selected from a group of more
than 425 highly qualified nominees.
INCENTIVE AWARDS BOARD/JOHN MARSHALL PANEL
CHAIR
Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Deputy Attorney General
MEMBERS
Ann M. Harkins
Chief of Staff
Office of the Attorney General
Daniel Marcus
Acting Associate Attorney General
Louis J. Freeh
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
John W. Marshall
Director
United States Marshal Service
Mark T. Calloway
United States Attorney, Western District of North Carolina
Chair, Attorney General's Advisory Committee
Mary H. Murguia
Director
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys
James K. Robinson
Assistant Attorney General
Criminal Division
Randolph D. Moss
Assistant Attorney General
Office of Legal Counsel
Mary Lou Leary
Acting Assistant Attorney General
Office of Justice Programs
Stephen R. Colgate
Assistant Attorney General for Administration
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY AND ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
Joanne W. Simms
Director, Personnel Staff
Justice Management Division
Vincent N. Micone
Chief, Events Management and Community Service
Personnel Staff
Justice Management Division
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
48TH ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
JULY 28, 2000 - 2:00 P.M.
CONSTITUTION HALL
PROGRAM
Welcome
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Deputy Attorney General
Presentation of Colors
Joint Armed Forces Color Guard
The National Anthem
Introduction of the Attorney General
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Deputy Attorney General
Remarks of the Attorney General
The Honorable Janet Reno
Attorney General
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service
The Honorable Janet Reno
Attorney General
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Heroism
The Honorable Janet Reno
Attorney General
Presentation of the Mary C. Lawton Lifetime Service Award
The Honorable Janet Reno
Attorney General
Presentation of the William French Smith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cooperative Law Enforcement
The Honorable Janet Reno
Attorney General
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Meritorious Public Service
The Honorable Janet Reno
Attorney General
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Deputy Attorney General
and
Daniel Marcus
Acting Associate Attorney General
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement
The Honorable Louis J. Freeh
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Management
Stephen R. Colgate
Assistant Attorney General for Administration
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Information Technology
The Honorable Joel I. Klein
Assistant Attorney General
Antitrust Division
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security
The Honorable John W. Marshall
Director
United States Marshals Service
Presentation of the Attorney General's Equal Employment Opportunity Award
Kathleen Hawk Sawyer
Director
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Legal Support
Mary H. Murguia
Director
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Administrative Support
Bill Lann Lee
Acting Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
Presentation of the John Marshall Awards
The Honorable Seth P. Waxman
Solicitor General
and
Peter R. Steenland, Jr.
Senior Counsel
Office of Dispute Resolution
-- Trial of Litigation
-- Participation in Litigation
-- Support of Litigation
-- Handling of Appeals
-- Providing Legal Advice
-- Preparation or Handling of Legislation
-- Asset Forfeiture
-- Alternative Dispute Resolution
-- Interagency Cooperation in Support of Litigation
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Service in Freedom of Information Act Administration
David W. Ogden
Acting Assistant Attorney General
Civil Division
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Fraud Prevention
The Honorable Doris Meissner
Commissioner
Immigration and Naturalization Service
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety
The Honorable James K. Robinson
Assistant Attorney General
Criminal Division
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contributions to State and Local Public Safety
Mary Lou Leary
Acting Assistant Attorney General
Office of Justice Programs
Presentation of the Cubby Dorsey Award for Outstanding Service by a Federal Wage Grade System Employee
Rose M. Ochi
Director
Community Relations Service
Presentation of the Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee
The Honorable Robert Raben
Assistant Attorney General
Office of Legislative Affairs
Closing
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Deputy Attorney General
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
Stephen R. Colgate
Assistant Attorney General for Administration
Justice Management Division
Stephen R. Colgate is honored for his outstanding dedication, leadership, and accomplishments during his more than 20 years of Federal career service. Mr. Colgate is recognized throughout the Government as an innovator and administrator of the highest accord. Since December 1992, Mr. Colgate has served as the Assistant Attorney General for Administration, the highest-ranking career civil servant in the Department. His areas of direct responsibility include budget development and execution, financial management, human resources, administration, procurement, facilities management, equal employment opportunity, and information resources management for a cabinet agency that has grown to nearly 130,000 employees. Mr. Colgate is the Attorney General's and the Deputy Attorney General's "go to person" on sensitive issues of major significance. Mr. Colgate's management skills and devotion to public service make him an outstanding example of the Federal career service and richly deserving this honor.
Mark
Pearlstein
Supervisory
United States Attorney
Suzanne E. Durell
Deputy
Chief, Civil Division
Michael K. Loucks
Supervisory
Assistant United States Attorney
Peter A. Mullin
Joshua S.
Levy
Susan Winkler
Susan Hanson-Philbrick
Diane
Freniere
Assistant United
States Attorneys
Patricia M. Connolly
Special
Assistant United States Attorney
Paul A. Rustigian
Auditor
United States Attorney's Office
District of Massachusetts
Mark A. Levine
Assistant United
States Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
Southern
District of Florida
Maya Sabina Guerra
Trial
Attorney
Lucy E. Eldridge
Former
Trial Attorney
Laurence J. Freedman
Assistant Director
Commercial
Litigation Branch
Shannon Kelley
Paralegal
Civil
Division
Presented to the team for its work in securing for the United States the largest global settlement ever in a health care fraud case. The investigation, begun in September of 1994, and concluded in January of 2000, resulted in a global settlement with Fresenius Medical Care North America, the largest provider in the world of kidney dialysis services and products. The prosecution resulted in guilty pleas by three different corporate entities, with a record-setting $101 million criminal fine; an aggregate civil settlement payment of $385 million; and the withdrawal by the company of more than $130 million in pending claims for reimbursement with the Medicare Program.
Receiving Special Recognition:
J. Michael Bradford
United States Attorney
Receiving the Attorney General's Exceptional Service Award:
John B. Stevens, Jr.
Robert James
"Jim" Middleton
Supervisory
Assistant United States Attorneys
Brittian A. Featherston
Assistant United
States Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
Eastern
District of Texas
Guy James Gray
Criminal
District Attorney
Billy Rowles
Sheriff
Mike Wilson
Richard Drake
District Attorney
Investigators
Jasper County,
Texas
Don K. Clark
Special
Agent-in-Charge (retired)
Robert B. Loosle
Supervisory
Senior Resident Agent
Timothy P. Brewer
Mark C. Broome
Cynthia Brawley
Norman A.
Townsend
Roel J. Carranza
Special Agents
Houston Field Office
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
Clifton Orr
Detective Sergeant
Beaumont Police Department
Beaumont,
Texas
The team of investigators and prosecutors, in a case which commanded national attention, are recognized for the investigation of the racially motivated death of James Byrd, Jr. That investigation revealed that Mr. Byrd had been brutally murdered by three white supremacists who had chained him by his ankles to the back of a pickup truck, dragging him almost three miles to his death. Within hours of the discovery, United States Attorney Bradford and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, working closely with District Attorney Gray and Sheriff Rowles, assembled a team of local and Federal personnel which conducted an exhaustive investigation, which ultimately brought all three defendants to justice for a crime that shocked the Nation.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL HEROISM
Joseph Dubois
Special Agent
San Antonio District Office
Drug
Enforcement Administration
Daniel Fuentes
Supervisory Special
Agent
Houston Field Office
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
On November 9, 1999, Special Agents Joseph Dubois and Daniel Fuentes were surrounded by fifteen Mexican police and drug traffickers in Matamoros, Mexico. The men, who were armed with an assortment of submachine guns, were led by Osiel Cardenas, a notorious Mexican drug trafficker and murderer. Although heavily outnumbered and facing kidnaping and death, Special Agents Dubois and Fuentes maintained their composure and refused Cardenas' orders to surrender a cooperating source who was in the vehicle with the two agents. Even when Cardenas gave the order for his gunmen to fire, Messrs. Dubois and Fuentes refused to surrender the cooperating source or to exit their vehicle and reminded Cardenas what the consequences of his act would be. Because of their professionalism and courage, while facing imminent death, Joseph Dubois and Daniel Fuentes were able to safely leave Matamoros with the cooperating source.
George L. Dysico
Special Agent
Washington Field Office
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
Special Agent George L. Dysico is honored for his exceptional heroism and extraordinary courage during a vehicle pursuit and in conducting a vehicle precision immobilization maneuver that prevented a fugitive, wanted for homicide, from approaching a nearby elementary school. Mr. Dysico displayed valor in the highly dangerous, life-threatening situation which evolved from the accident which ended the pursuit. Without considering his own personal safety, Mr. Dysico reached into a burning vehicle on two separate occasions and removed two children from the backseat and carried them both to safety. His professionalism and heroism are certainly in keeping with the finest traditions of the Department.
THE MARY C. LAWTON LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD
Sheila C. Joy
Program Manager
Office
of Policy Development
This award is presented to Sheila C. Joy for career accomplishments that have earned her the great respect and gratitude of Federal judges, United States Attorneys, and United States Marshals whom she has assisted through the appointment process with extraordinary dedication, expertise, and professionalism. For over 31 years, her work has been critical to the success of the Department's role in the Presidential appointment process. She is the only person in the Department with a comprehensive, historical knowledge of the judicial appointment process. Ms. Joy has been instrumental in the appointment of more than 1,000 Federal judges, as well as hundreds of United States Attorneys and United States Marshals. She has brought continuity, as well as excellence, to this critical function through countless changes in personnel and many Administrations. Ms. Joy exemplifies all that is the best of a talented, dedicated, and wise public servant whose professional career has been devoted to a critical mission of the Department.
THE WILLIAM FRENCH SMITH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO COOPERATIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT
Gary S. Penrod
Sheriff
San
Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
Paul J. Pfingst
District Attorney
San
Diego County
Sheriff Gary S. Penrod and District Attorney Paul J. Pfingst are recognized for their support of Department law enforcement efforts in the border region of southern California. Sheriff Penrod has made available vitally needed detention bed space and prisoner transportation for the United States Marshals Service. This acute need resulted from an unprecedented prisoner population growth in southern California due to Operation Gatekeeper. Under Mr. Pfingst's leadership, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office prosecuted nearly 7,000 cases involving the importation of marijuana from Mexico into the United States during the period of 1995 through 1999. The United States Attorney and District Attorney partnership in San Diego has contributed to a 41% drop in the crime rate in that region. The efforts of District Attorney Pfingst and Sheriff Penrod serve as a model for the Nation of Federal, State, and local cooperation, and demonstrated how such cooperation can lead to increased community safety.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR MERITORIOUS PUBLIC SERVICE
Irene Rinehamer
Nanticoke,
Pennsylvania
Irene Rinehamer is honored for her bravery and total disregard for her own safety, which allowed her community to return to normal living without fear of an escaped murderer in their backyard. Ms. Rinehamer managed to fight off an attacker, a fugitive serving 20 to 50 years for arson, and his accomplice, a fugitive serving a life sentence for two murder convictions, from obtaining her vehicle. She made a positive identification of one of the escapees and provided a direction of flight which resulted in locating a small campsite and prison clothing. Because of Ms. Rinehamer's strong personal fortitude and clear-headed composure during the incident, crucial information was obtained which led to the capture of both escapees.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Thomas L. Battles
Senior Conciliator
Miami Office
Community
Relations Service
This award is presented to Thomas L. Battles for his outstanding performance in easing tensions and in reducing and resolving major street conflicts which could lead to riots and civil disorders. He has demonstrated exemplary skills in contingency planning to prevent disorder and in training others in prevention and problem solving. Mr. Battles has been a lead person in crises caused by black college weekends in Myrtle Beach, Daytona Beach, and Atlanta, and, as a result of his collaborative efforts with mayors, police chiefs, city officials, and community leaders, he has been instrumental in developing a publication of guidelines for managing major college weekend events. No person can be counted on so often to serve so many functions and do them so well as Mr. Battles.
Benjamin F. Burrell
Director
Facilities and Administrative
Services Staff
Justice Management
Division
Benjamin F. Burrell is recognized for his outstanding dedication, leadership, and professionalism during the past thirteen years. Mr. Burrell is noted throughout the Federal Government as a leader in facilities and real property management. His leadership and willingness to become involved at all levels of a project both inspires and encourages others to achieve the high standards he sets. Of particular note is the leadership he has provided while heading the Justice Management Division's highly successful Bureau Support Team, established to provide administrative support to the bureaus, particularly the Immigration and Naturalization Service. In addition, he has played a key role in laying the groundwork and achieving significant cost savings associated with the Main Justice Building Modernization project.
Paul P. Colborn
Special Counsel
Office
of Legal Counsel
Paul P. Colborn is honored for his exemplary and sustained role in assisting and advising the Department and other executive branch agencies in responding to Congressional and other requests for information. His advice has been essential to ensuring that the Executive Branch properly accommodates Congress' oversight needs while adequately protecting the institutional interests of executive agencies and the President. In sensitive matters involving significant public scrutiny, he has provided calm and wise counsel and, in so doing, has earned respect throughout the Government for the care of his work, for his unparalleled expertise, and for his superb judgment. His thoughtful and professional response to the repeated demands for his expertise and assistance has been exceptional, and merits the Department's highest approbation.
Eloisa D. Fernandez
Assistant
United States Attorney
Richard D. Gregorie
Senior Litigation
Counsel
United States Attorney's Office
Southern
District of Florida
James A. Morgulec
Senior
Counsel
Noël Wise
Jennifer
A. Whitfield
Trial Attorneys
Environmental Crimes Section
Environment
and Natural Resources Division
The team is recognized for the prosecution of the second largest passenger airline in the world, AMR Corporation, focusing on the airline's reckless transportation of hazardous materials aboard passenger aircraft. The company pled guilty, admitting that it had unlawfully handled hazardous materials and waste for four years. AMR agreed to an $8 million fine, supervision by an independent consultant during three years probation, and the funding of an international safety compliance program. This represents the largest environmental criminal penalty against a passenger airline. As a result of this case, many domestic and international airlines have banned carrying hazardous cargo on passenger flights and agreed to conduct additional screening for dangerous items.
Gerald G. Gaes
Chief, Office of
Research and Evaluation
Information, Policy, and Public
Affairs Division
Federal Bureau
of Prisons
Gerald G. Gaes is presented this award for extraordinary contributions to correctional research and evaluation. Over the course of his tenure, Dr. Gaes has personally conducted and directed analyses on inmate classification, prison privatization, the impact of prison industry training, the effect of residential drug treatment, the affect of changes in sentencing policy on operations, and the impact of prison gang behavior. Not only have these analyses been used to improve Bureau operations, these studies have also been published in scholarly books and journals and have elevated the level of knowledge of correctional practices nationally and internationally.
Judy K. Hunt
Senior
Litigation Counsel
Thomas W. Turner
Assistant
United States Attorney
Luz H. Diaz
Lead Secretary
United States Attorney's Office
Middle
District of Florida
Joseph K. Judge
Special Agent
Orlando Resident Agent Office
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
The team is recognized for the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the collapse of the National Heritage Life Insurance Company in the case of United States v. Shalom Weiss . Following a nine-month trial in 1999, four defendants were convicted of looting the National Heritage Life Insurance Company of approximately $250 million through a series of extremely complex financial transactions. Shalom Weiss, the principal defendant, was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 845 years.
Frank J. Marine
Senior
Litigation Counsel
J. Kenneth Lowrie
Deputy Chief
Organized Crime and Racketeering
Section
Criminal Division
Gary S. Shapiro
First
Assistant United States Attorney
Thomas P. Walsh
Craig A.
Oswald
David D.
Buvinger
Assistant United
States Attorneys
United States Attorney's Office
Northern
District of Illinois
Alex G. Whiting
Ernest S.
DiNisco
Assistant United
States Attorneys
United States Attorney's Office
District
of Massachusetts
The team is presented this award for exceptional service to the Department and the Nation for their relentless efforts to remove the corrupting influence of organized crime in the affairs of the Laborers' International Union of North America, AFL-CIO. Their unparalleled dedication, teamwork, and professionalism, despite facing great odds against them in the pursuit of these goals for nearly ten years, resulted in the restoration of democracy to the more than 700,000 members of this union and the removal of corrupt influences from the Nation's ninth largest labor union.
Joseph P. Martin
Officer-in-Charge
James E. Lassiter, Jr.
Assistant Officer-in-Charge
Nairobi, Kenya Field Office
Immigration
and Naturalization Service
Joseph P. Martin and James E. Lassiter are honored for their extraordinary courage at the time of the bombing of the United States Embassy in Nairobi. After escaping himself, Mr. Martin returned to the Embassy on three occasions to assist in the rescue of other individuals, including Mr. Lassiter's wife. Additionally, concerned about the fate of an INS subordinate, he climbed a ladder back into the hardest hit area of the Embassy, in an attempt to ensure the employee's safety. Mr. Lassiter, despite being injured himself, assisted a fellow employee out of the building. The employee was seriously injured and blinded by the blast, yet Mr. Lassiter pushed, pulled, and carried him to safety. The Department is proud of the selfless acts of courage shown by Mr. Lassiter and Mr. Martin during the chaos surrounding the attack on the Embassy.
Alan A. Pason
Chief
Gregory S. Gloff
Mitchell R. Chitwood
Trial Attorneys
Dallas Field Office
Antitrust
Division
Arturo Canedo
Special Agent
Dallas Division
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
The team is recognized for their exemplary efforts in the investigation and prosecution of an international cartel in the vitamins industry. The case ranks as one of the most important criminal antitrust investigations conducted and among the largest and most successful white collar crime investigations in the Department. As a result of the prosecution team's truly remarkable efforts and skill, a total of fifteen prosecutions have been filed against U.S., European, Canadian, and Japanese companies and individuals. Over $875 million in corporate fines, including a $500 million fine imposed against the Swiss pharmaceutical giant F. Hoffmann-La Roche, have been obtained. These fines are among the largest ever imposed in any Department of Justice criminal prosecution. The prosecution team also obtained the first jail sentences ever imposed against European business executives for violating U.S. antitrust laws.
Patrick J. Smith
Richard D.
Owens
Assistant United
States Attorneys
Gary R. Smith
Paralegal Specialist
United States Attorney's Office
Southern
District of New York
This award is presented to Messrs. Smith, Owens, and Smith for their exceptional service to the Department and the Nation in their relentless efforts in the investigation and prosecution of Patrick R. Bennett and others who orchestrated the largest Ponzi scheme in United States' history -- an investment scam of unparalleled scope and sophistication that defrauded more than 10,000 victim-investors and 70 banks throughout the country, losing more than $750 million. Through their extraordinary dedication and creativity, team members uncovered and then made comprehensible to a jury one of the most complex financial crimes ever brought to trial. The team's diligence and skill brought to justice Patrick R. Bennett and others responsible for destroying the lives of the thousands of retired and elderly victims.
William T. Veal
Chief Patrol Agent
San Diego Sector
United States Border Patrol
Immigration
and Naturalization Service
On the night of April 1, 1999, eastern San Diego County experienced very low temperatures and an unexpected snow during a fierce overnight storm. Numerous illegal aliens were stranded and lost in the rugged mountainous terrain of the area. At least seven had already succumbed to the weather. Chief Patrol Agent William T. Veal not only mobilized INS resources to cope with this emergency, but he piloted the United States Border Patrol's heavy lift UH-1 helicopter through treacherous terrain in deteriorating weather conditions, fighting low cloud ceilings and fog. In the rugged terrain, landing access was limited. At times the landings involved only one tip of a skid touching the ground. Over a period of nearly seven hours, breaking only for refueling, Chief Veal facilitated search and rescue efforts by inserting search and rescue teams into the area. His courage and valor in piloting the helicopter under such extreme conditions enabled the teams to evacuate all the aliens from the mountainside, thus saving numerous aliens from certain death. Chief Veal's actions displayed the utmost in dedication to the mission and values of the Department.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
George Eliot
Special Agent
Los Angeles Field Division
Drug
Enforcement Administration
Foster "Gene" Johns
Detective
Los
Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Special Agent George Eliot and Detective Foster "Gene" Johns are honored for developing and coordinating a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional investigation that disrupted and ultimately dismantled a Mexico based multi-ton cocaine trafficking organization that had developed a far reaching and complex distribution cell network throughout the United States. The operation, entitled "Operation Rio Blanco," relied heavily on communication interception. The investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately 3.5 tons of cocaine, the seizure of over $15 million, and the arrest of over fifty individuals, including Jorge Castro, reputed to be the highest-ranking member of the notorious Mexico based Arrellano-Felix Drug Trafficking Syndicate ever arrested on U.S. soil. Investigative and enforcement efforts involved over fifteen Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies. Information developed during the initiative was instrumental in targeting and ultimately dismantling associate cells of the organization. The professionalism and dedication to duty exhibited by the honorees reflects the highest traditions of the Department and law enforcement.
Armando R. Garcia
James L.
Barrett
Special Agents
Jack O. Weaver
Supervisory Special
Agent
Phoenix District Office
Carlos W. Archuleta
Senior Special Agent,
Anti-Smuggling
United States Consulate Office
Monterrey,
Mexico
Kevin A. Merkel
Special Agent
Office of Examinations
Immigration
and Naturalization Service
The team is recognized for achieving a breakthrough in the enforcement history of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. They are the first to use an undercover proprietary operation in an investigation of immigration violations. These officers applied this new tactic to gain evidence against the hidden leaders in large alien smuggling organizations. The effort required initiative, ingenuity, and creativity to cope with the quickly changing tactics of alien smugglers and large-scale financial transactions conducted through Western Union outlets. The team worked under intense scrutiny and had to track and control cash transactions with the targets of the investigation and maintain detailed records on a 24-hour basis. The active operation of the undercover drop house lasted approximately six weeks. The house was used finally to lure some of the targets to their arrests while they thought they were coming in to collect the funds owed to them from the profits of the organization. These innovative efforts resulted in the prosecution of 21 individuals for crimes of alien smuggling, hostage taking, and money laundering.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MANAGEMENT
H. Michael Warren
Communications and
Law Enforcement Manager
Information Resources Division
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
H. Michael Warren is recognized for his exemplary performance in connection with a critically important law enforcement initiative. Mr. Warren demonstrated outstanding management skill in leading the implementation of the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. He has displayed a high level of creativity, initiative, flexibility, and innovation to produce results that are important to the law enforcement community at all levels. Mr. Warren has exemplified an extraordinary level of business acumen through the management of human, financial, material, and information resources in a manner which advanced the Department's mission. His interaction with the law enforcement community and the telecommunications industry in this vital initiative exemplify his professional abilities, which are in keeping with the finest traditions of the Department.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
James J. Jasinski
Section
Chief
James A. Loudermilk, II
Project
Advisor
Michael B. Richards
John Jay
Werner
Charles E.
Jones
Supervisory
Computer Engineers
John A. Yankowski
James Robert
Gerst
Supervisory
Computer Specialists
Robert W. Last
Barbara J.
Wilson
Computer Specialists
James C. Gutmann
Electronics
Engineer
Billy P. Martin
Operations Manager
Criminal Justice Information
Services Division
Federal Bureau
of Investigation
The members Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) Team are honored for their dedication, perseverance, creativity, and determination to complete the transition of IAFIS from systems development to operations. This new system of automated fingerprint identification increases the speed, efficiency, accuracy, and volume of transactions to elevate the criminal justice service to a plateau never before achieved. As a result of their exceptional technical and managerial efforts, the objective of an operational IAFIS was achieved on schedule.
Mary Lou Mobley
Ken S. Nakata
Trial Attorneys
Disability Rights Section
Civil
Rights Division
Mary Lou Mobley and Ken S. Nakata are recognized for making electronic and information technology accessible to persons with disabilities. Together they developed and disseminated comprehensive guidance about the requirements for accessible technology; they developed a highly efficient and cost-effective system of gathering and analyzing a massive amount of data from over 80 Federal agencies; and then they effectively "translated" this extremely dense technical data into a "plain language" report that is understandable by people who have limited knowledge of either accessibility or technology issues.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FURTHERING THE INTERESTS OF U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY
Michael T. Anderson
Supervisory
Special Agent
James T. Caruso
Special
Agent in Charge
Daniel Lee Cloyd
Assistant Special
Agent in Charge
National Security
Division
Keith M. Smith
Team
Leader, Special Surveillance Group
Andrew J. Pierce
Special Agent
Washington
Field Office
Thomas Keith Baker
Supervisory
Special Agent
Susan J. Gregory
Unit Chief
National
Security Division
James S. Gilbert
Robert J.
Smith
Electronics
Technicians
Stacey Perino
Electronics
Engineer
Thomas E. Parmelee
Supervisory Special
Agent
Engineering Research Facility
Laboratory Division
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
The team is presented this award for their vital roles in discovering, investigating, and ending the espionage activities of Russian intelligence officer Stanislav Borisovich Gusev. Each of these individuals showed incredible skill and dedication in their exposure, investigation, and removal of this threat to the national security of the United States.
Daniel L. Koffsky
Acting Deputy Assistant
Attorney General
Office of
Legal Counsel
Daniel L. Koffsky is honored for his outstanding contribution to the field of national security. His superb legal advice and sound judgment have substantially contributed to furthering the interest of national security, as well as an overriding respect for the Constitution and rule of law. Mr. Koffsky's consistent provision of careful, thorough, insightful, and calm legal advice in the most demanding of circumstances has set the standard for other national security lawyers throughout government.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Neil DeSousa
Supervisory Deputy
United States Marshal
Northern District of Georgia
United
States Marshals Service
Neil DeSousa is recognized for assisting in the development and success of the United States Marshals Service Centralized Student Career Experience Program. Mr. DeSousa has been actively involved in recruiting and assisting in the placement of potential program participants by attending job fairs, making public appearances, giving speeches, and making presentations regarding the Service before large groups of students and faculty at various colleges and universities. He has recruited 51% of the students in the current applicant pool, 56% of whom are minorities and women. He mentors and provides leadership to these students and ensures that they are successfully converted from trainee to Deputy Marshal upon completion of the training academy requirements. Mr. DeSousa continues to mentor these young professionals in making positive career decisions.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL SUPPORT
PARALEGAL CATEGORY
Meochi Akins Timberlake
Paralegal Supervisor
Environmental Enforcement
Section
Environment and Natural
Resources Division
Meochi Akins Timberlake is presented this award her outstanding and invaluable service. In addition to her responsibilities as supervisor of the Environmental Enforcement Section's Trial Paralegal Team, Ms. Akins Timberlake has personally worked on many of the Section's most significant cases, including: United States v. AVX; United States v. Vertac; United States v. Borden Chemicals; United States v. Aronowitz; and United States v. Allegheny. She has handled these assignments with skill and composure and her efforts have contributed greatly to the Enforcement Section's successful trial record.
Mark C. DiCenzo
Paralegal Specialist
United States Attorney's Office
Central
District of California
Mark C. DiCenzo is recognized for his outstanding support to the investigation and prosecution of the Operation Casablanca criminal cases and related forfeiture and civil penalty proceedings. The three-year investigation led to four Federal indictments and resulted in the successful prosecution of two of the largest banks in Mexico and forty individuals for laundering millions of dollars for Colombian and Mexican drug cartels.
Reba
Sarnacki
Paralegal Specialist
United States Attorney's Office
Eastern
District of Michigan
Reba Sarnacki is honored for her untiring dedication to and support of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Program in the Eastern District of Michigan. During the past several years, Ms. Sarnacki independently and creatively developed highly effective fast-track procedures for the successful handling of over 100 Pell Grant referrals from the United States Department of Education and likewise, over 240 Medicare Secondary Payer referrals from the Health Care Finance Administration. As a direct result of her superior organizational skills and her razor-sharp focus on bringing referrals to a quick and favorable resolution, the Eastern District of Michigan has obtained 96 favorable Pell Grant judgments, with actual collection of $78,937, and another $1,380,742 in collection status. She has also successfully pursued 242 Medicare Secondary Payer claims for a total monetary recovery of over $1.7 million.
LEGAL SECRETARY CATEGORY
Rosalie K. Bern
Executive Assistant
Office of the Assistant Attorney
General
Civil Division
Rosalie K. Bern is honored for her outstanding achievements as Executive Assistant. Over the course of her 20-year career with the Civil Division, she has served five Assistant Attorneys General and Acting Assistant Attorneys General with distinction. Ms. Bern's masterful knowledge of the Civil Division's mission, organizational structure, and protocol, has allowed her to play a vital role in the operational management of the Office of the Assistant Attorney General, especially during periods of transition between Assistant Attorneys General. Further, her unrivaled familiarity with personnel and programs enable her to effectively handle numerous press inquiries and visitors generated by high-profile litigation matters. Ms. Bern's wide-ranging knowledge, her outstanding legal secretarial skills, and her office management capabilities, as well as her uncommon skill and diplomacy, make her uniquely suited to serve as an emissary of the Office, the Division, and the Department.
Toi M. Stine
Legal Assistant
United States Medical Center
for Federal Prisoners
Springfield, Missouri
Federal
Bureau of Prisons
Toi M. Stine has demonstrated outstanding performance while providing legal support to the legal department and institution staff, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney's Office. The legal department at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners at Springfield, Missouri, was responsible for defending 81 lawsuits, preparing 43 mental health commitment petitions, investigating 62 tort claims, processing 190 Freedom of Information and Privacy Act requests, and investigating and processing 657 administrative remedy requests filed by inmates. As a result of Ms. Stine's superior organizational abilities and her diligence, the Medial Center has consistently met all applicable deadlines. Ms. Stine's performance is a credit to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Department.
Michelle D. Tabb
Supervisory Legal
Secretary
United States Attorney's Office
Central
District of California
Ms. Tabb is recognized for her outstanding support to the investigation and prosecution of the Operation Casablanca criminal cases and related forfeiture and civil penalty proceedings. The three-year investigation led to four Federal indictments and resulted in the successful prosecution of two of the largest banks in Mexico and forty individuals for laundering millions of dollars for Colombian and Mexican drug cartels.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
ADMINISTRATIVE CATEGORY
Barbara J. Brockmeyer
Staffing Assistant
San Juan Division
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
Barbara J. Brockmeyer is recognized for her instrumental and professional role in human resources management. She was personally responsible for the recruitment of numerous Special Agents and support employees for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's San Juan Division. Ms. Brockmeyer's commitment is not limited to just providing information to applicants, she has exhibited the utmost professionalism and courtesy in follow-up conversations and has been persistent in seeking individuals of the highest caliber as future employees of the Bureau. Her working abilities and dedication serves as a fine example of quality administrative support.
Gregory M. Hickson
Interpol Analyst
Criminal Division
United
States National Central Bureau - Interpol
Gregory M. Hickson is honored for the outstanding manner in which he discharged his duties far in excess of those normally required of an analyst of his grade and experience. During this past year, Mr. Hickson personally handled the responsibilities of two other analysts who were on sick leave. He supported United States Customs Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and coordinated a voluminous caseload in excess of 700 criminal investigations. Mr. Hickson has also furthered recommendations, which were adopted, that streamlined the Red Notice Project by updating Bureau and Customs Service investigations and handling support for sensitive sexual exploitation and child pornography cases.
Pamela S. Hillman
Administrative Officer
United States Trustee's Office
Indianapolis,
Indiana
Pamela S. Hillman is presented this award for her outstanding accomplishments as an Administrative Officer covering six offices located in three States. She has served in an exceptional manner as principal advisor to two United States Trustees in all management and administrative matters. During her twelve-year tenure, Ms. Hillman has been called upon to participate in component-wide concerns, operations, and initiatives. She was successful in developing the concept of one Administrative Officer serving two regions; piloting the keying and electronic transmission of travel vouchers at the field office level; and implementing a new automated travel voucher program nationwide. Ms. Hillman was chosen to serve as a member of an internal National Performance Review team to improve the organization's administrative and automated processes. Ms. Hillman's technical competence, initiative, and willingness to accept new challenges have earned her the respect of her coworkers.
SECRETARIAL CATEGORY
Pat Petznick
Secretary
Omaha District
Immigration
and Naturalization Service
Pat Petznick is recognized for her excellence in administrative support. As a direct result of her efforts, the reputation and image of the Immigration and Naturalization Service has been enhanced significantly in Omaha. She revamped the Omaha District's system for responding to the over 350 Congressional inquiries received each month. The tracking system she developed ensured that there was follow-up to every inquiry. By example, she instilled in others the need to be compassionate and understanding of individual cases. She was involved personally in locating lost and misplaced files. She routinely screened case files for factors that would jeopardize expeditious processing and worked directly with case officers to ensure that these factors were addressed. Her support has directly benefitted customers and her problem-solving skills have been recognized by both State and Federal officials.
THE JOHN MARSHALL AWARD
TRIAL OF LITIGATION
Thomas C. Bradley
Trial Attorney
Western Criminal Enforcement
Section
Tax Division
Thomas C. Bradley is honored for the exceptional work that he has performed in investigating and prosecuting tax protestors. For the last three years, Mr. Bradley has been at the forefront of the battle against those groups that would severely damage this country's tax system and undercut the Federal Government's ability to provide vital services to its citizens. Indeed, in the multiple-defendant case of United States v. Joseph Brodin, Richard M. Iverson, John Burns, Camilla Burns, G. Michael Gott and Elaine Gott, Mr. Bradley obtained convictions of some of the highest-profile anti-government activists in Idaho. These individuals were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 108 to 210 months, among the longest sentences ever handed down against tax protestors.
Deborah E. Landis
Senior
Litigation Counsel
JoAnna C. Hendon
Assistant United
States Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
Southern
District of New York
This award is presented to Deborah E. Landis and JoAnna C. Hendon for their extraordinary investigative, organizational, and trial advocacy skills. Their dauntless tenacity and dedication, demonstrated over a period of more than seven years, culminated in the investigation and prosecution of individuals involved in a complex scheme to defraud the United States Department of Education and other Federal agencies of tens of millions of dollars in grant and loan funds.
PARTICIPATION IN LITIGATION
Phillip A. Brooks
Tom C. Clark
Trial Attorneys
Environmental
Enforcement Section
James A. Eichner
Trial Attorney
Policy,
Legislation, and Special Litigation Section
Brian L. Ferrell
David F.
Shuey
Susan V.
Cook
Matthew C.
Urie
Trial Attorneys
K. Jack Haugrud
Deputy
Chief
Charles W. Findlay, III
Assistant Chief
General
Litigation Section
David C. Shilton
Trial Attorney
Appellate Section
Sarah D. Himmelhoch
Counsel for State
and Local Environmental Affairs
Office of the Assistant Attorney
General
Environment and Natural
Resources Division
The team is recognized for demonstrating extraordinary skill and dedication in handling the "prospective relief" trial in Cobell v. Babbitt. This case was a class action law suit, brought on behalf of over 300,000 Native Americans to "compel performance of trust obligations" in managing what are known as Individual Indian Money Accounts. The case has its underpinnings in the responsibility vested in the Secretary of the Interior to administer millions of acres of land held in trust for individual Indians. For over 100 years, the Secretary of the Interior has been responsible for managing these lands, including leasing the lands to generate revenue, collecting the leasing proceeds and depositing them in Individual Indian Money Accounts, and disbursing the proceeds to the beneficiaries. Today, over 300,000 individuals hold these accounts, and approximately $250 million flows through these accounts on a yearly basis. Their work helped to restore the credibility of the United States with the Court and has enabled the United States Departments of Interior and the Treasury to continue their efforts to reform the Individual Indian Money trust system without judicial intervention.
Jeanine Worden
Roberta Kirkendall
Trial
Attorneys
Renee Wohlenhaus
Deputy Chief
Disability Rights Section
Civil
Rights Division
Because of the dedicated efforts of this litigation team, significant precedent has been established on the obligations of hotel franchisers to make new hotels fully accessible to people with disabilities. Days Inns of America, the world's largest hotel chain, agreed to undertake a Nationwide initiative designed to make its new hotels across the country fully accessible to persons with disabilities. In a consent decree resolving five lawsuits and four years of litigation, Days Inns agreed to establish a $4.75 million revolving fund to provide interest-free loans to franchisees of newly constructed hotels to finance repairs and renovations required for ADA compliance, require new hotels to certify that they are in compliance before they open for business as Days Inns, pay for an independent survey program to identify ADA problems at newly constructed hotels, and pay $50,000 in civil penalties.
SUPPORT OF LITIGATION
Michael D. Goodstein
Patrick M.
Casey
Jonathan
A. Marks
Angela F.
O'Connell
Stacey H.
O'Bryan
Trial Attorneys
Environmental
Enforcement Section
John S. Gregory
Trial Attorney
Environmental Crimes Section
Environment
and Natural Resources Division
Gordon S. Young
Assistant United
States Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
Southern
District of Texas
Susan P. Coppedge
Special Assistant
United States Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
Northern
District of Georgia
The team is honored for extraordinary efforts in achieving record-breaking settlements with Koch Industries, the largest oil pipeline company in the country. The settlements resolve claims under the Clean Water Act related to more than 300 illegal oil spills from Koch's pipelines and oil facilities resulting in the release of some three million gallons of oil and related products into ponds, rivers, lakes, and shorelines in six States. Under the settlements, Koch will pay a civil penalty of $30 million, the largest civil penalty ever imposed against a single company for violations of an environmental law, improve its leak-prevention programs, and spend $5 million on environmental projects. The successful outcome of this enforcement action is a testament to the team's creative and tireless work and superb negotiating skills.
Margaret P. Griffey
Chief
Paul E. Ridge
Deputy
Chief
Joseph S. Uberman
Senior
Litigation Counsel
Richard E. Burns
Kevin A.
Forder
Courtney
V. Keany
Gwenn X.
Kinsey, Jr.
Thomas M.
Tamm
Trial Attorneys
Capital Case Unit
Criminal
Division
The team is presented this award for their efforts in the formation and development of the Capital Case Unit. Since 1998, this new unit has assisted in the Department's review of the capital eligible offenses of more than 183 defendants. In the cases of the approximately 59 defendants for whom the Attorney General authorized seeking the death penalty, a Capital Case Unit attorney was responsible for assisting the Department and the United States Attorney's Office during the review and continued to provide assistance and advice during prosecution. The team is honored for their outstanding initiative and efforts in developing a model to provide litigation and legal support in these cases. In an area of the law that poses complex procedural and legal issues and an awesome responsibility for human life, these attorneys have handled themselves with extraordinary diligence and integrity.
HANDLING OF APPEALS
Scott R. McIntosh
Special Counsel
Appellate Staff
Civil
Division
Scott R. McIntosh is recognized for his extraordinary work on a variety of cases of great importance to the United States, and in particular, for his recent work on behalf of the law enforcement community before the Federal Communications Commission with regard to the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. This important statute safeguards the ability of the law enforcement community to carry out electronic surveillance in an environment of constant technological advancement in the telecommunications industry. In petitioning the Commission, Mr. McIntosh's first task was to draft large portions of a series of lengthy documents setting out and explaining the Department's positions. He also worked closely with Federal Bureau of Investigation and private contractor engineers, attorneys, and law enforcement officers to take highly technical issues and concepts and explain them in easily understandable terms. In effectively presenting the law enforcement perspective, Mr. McIntosh helped to preserve the Government's ability to engage in authorized electronic surveillance, and ultimately, to ensure the safety of countless Americans.
Deborah B. Zwany
Varuni Nelson
Assistant United
States Attorneys
United States Attorney's Office
Eastern
District of New York
Deborah B. Zwany and Varuni Nelson are honored for their exemplary efforts on appeals. The office has over sixty pending Second Circuit civil appeals in diverse subject matter areas including asset forfeiture, bankruptcy, employment discrimination, environmental, immigration, and social security. Ms. Zwany and Ms. Nelson ensure that the Department's mission is properly represented in each appeal. In 1999, the team successfully represented the Government as appellant in X-Men Security, Inc. v. Pataki, and Williams v. Apfel. In X-Men, the Circuit agreed that the district court should have granted a United States Congressman's motion to dismiss on qualified immunity grounds and recognized the legislator's First Amendment rights to express his views regarding the granting of a Federally funded contract to a controversial organization.
PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE
David E. Green
Principal Deputy
Chief
Computer Crime and Intellectual
Property Section
Criminal Division
William A. Whitledge
Senior Trial Attorney
Criminal Appeals and Tax Enforcement
Policy Section
Tax Division
David E. Green and William A. Whitledge are recognized for their outstanding achievement in creating the Online Investigative Principles for Federal Law Enforcement Agents. Working from very little legal precedent, Mr. Green and Mr. Whitledge formed an interagency working group to identify complex legal issues and created a conceptual framework for thinking about these new problems. With indefatigable wit, intellect, and patience, they led the creative, sometimes-fractious group to consensus on the many brain-twisting legal problems that agents now encounter when they investigate cases on networks. Finally, they wrote or edited the entire work, a comprehensive model of clear thought artfully expressed. This seminal product has been adopted in agencies throughout the Government.
Jeffrey P. Singdahlsen
Attorney-Advisor
Office
of Legal Counsel
This award is presented to Jeffrey P. Singdahlsen for the precision, thoroughness, and disciplined creativity of his work. His advice has been essential to assuring the continuity of the executive branch's legal authority to carry out its duties. Under intense pressure, he has provided calm and wise counsel in national security matters. Mr. Singdahlsen has advised officials related to the use of the Vieques firing range in Puerto Rico and on the Vacancies Reform and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Acts. He has earned respect throughout the Government for the care of his work, for his unparalleled expertise, and for his superb judgment.
PREPARATION AND HANDLING OF LEGISLATION
Gabrielle Manganiello
Trial Attorney
Torts Branch
Civil
Division
Gabrielle Manganiello is recognized for her extraordinary skill and dedication in handling legislative, policy, and liaison matters on behalf of the Department in connection with the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Her preparation of the Department's presentation at Congressional oversight hearings, and drafting and negotiating of a joint legislative initiative for Vaccine Compensation Program amendments, quelled vocal Congressional and public opposition to the Program. She also coordinated the Department's substantive participation in two successful General Accounting Office investigations, overcoming initial scepticism and securing supportive language for the Department in both reports. In each of these matters, through her hard work, detailed preparation, and tactful persuasion, Ms. Manganiello has reversed a series of legislative and policy threats to the Vaccine Program, and thereby supported a National immunization program that ensures the availability of critical vaccines to American children and which has been proclaimed one of the most successful public health initiatives in history.
ASSET FORFEITURE
Janet C. Hudson
Supervisory Assistant United
States Attorney
Duane R. Lyons
Joseph A.
Brandolino
Julie J.
Shemitz
Diana L.
Pauli
Robert E.
Dugdale
Gregory Staples
Assistant United
States Attorneys
United States Attorney's Office
Central
District of California
Lee Jeffrey Ross, Jr.
Special Assistant
Office
of the Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Wendy J. Silberberg
Attorney-Advisor
Susan Lea Smith
Senior
Trial Attorney
A.J. "Jack" deKluiver
Trial
Attorney
Lester M. Joseph
Stefan D.
Cassella
Assistant Chiefs
Asset Forfeiture and Money
Laundering Section
Criminal
Division
The team is honored for their outstanding work in the investigation and prosecution of the Operation Casablanca criminal cases and related forfeiture and civil penalty proceedings. The three-year investigation led to four Federal indictments and resulted in the successful prosecution of two of the largest banks in Mexico and forty individuals (including over a dozen lawyers, bankers, and other professionals) for laundering millions of dollars for Colombian and Mexican drug cartels. The forfeiture actions have, to date, resulted in the forfeiture of over $31 million. Operation Casablanca significantly disrupted the activities of drug cartels operating throughout the United States and has deterred the cartels from using the Mexican and Venezuelan banking systems to launder vast amounts of drug proceeds. In addition, Operation Casablanca has resulted in financial institutions paying greater attention to their anti-money laundering procedures.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
John A. Capin
Assistant United
States Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
District
of Massachusetts
John A. Capin is recognized for outstanding initiative and achievement in negotiating a far-reaching agreement with the Boston Housing Authority, one of the Nation's largest public housing agencies, to provide protection from harassment for minority tenants. Through mediation before a respected senior judge, Mr. Capin achieved a result superior to that available through litigation, which would have been lengthy, divisive, and based on an untested theory of liability.
Mina M. Raskin
Counsel for Dispute
Resolution
Office of the General Counsel
Federal
Bureau of Prisons
Mina M. Raskin is presented this award for her development of Alternative Dispute Resolution programs to resolve Equal Employment Opportunity complaints at the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The programs developed by Ms. Raskin feature facilitated negotiation and mediation to resolve both early, informal complaints and later, formal proceedings. As a part of this initiative, Ms. Raskin has established a solid relationship with the union representing most of the potential complainants and has spent considerable time with legal staff and senior managers fostering interest-based negotiation and mediation advocacy. Her reach has been extended to facilitating mediation procedures with contractors and vendors.
INTERAGENCY COOPERATION IN SUPPORT OF LITIGATION
Randolph J. Myers
Acting Associate
Solicitor for the National Capital Parks
National
Park Service
Charles P. "Pete" Raynor
Assistant Solicitor
United
States Department of the Interior
Charles P. Rayor and Randolph J. Myers are recognized for exceptional litigation support in cases involving the United States Department of the Interior. Mr. Raynor has provided extraordinary assistance on multiple cases involving litigation under the Endangered Species Act and other wildlife conservation statutes, and actions seeking compensation for natural resource damages to Federal wildlife refuges and natural resources Mr. Myers has provided expertise related to complex First Amendment issues on National Park Service land. The unparalleled support and assistance provided by these individuals, often on very tight deadlines, exemplifies their unflagging commitment to get the job done and has been critical to the success in defending challenges to the Government's actions and regulations.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE IN FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT ADMINISTRATION
GayLa D. Sessoms
FOIA Initiatives
Coordinator
Office of Information
and Privacy
GayLa D. Sessoms is honored for outstanding initiative and achievement as the principal driving force in the Department's successful efforts to significantly reduce its backlogs of Freedom of Information Act requests in all of its components, which has been of especially great importance to the Department under the requirements of the amended Act. Her strong efforts in championing this cause have resulted in the Department making great strides in backlog reduction and in enhancing the Department's responsiveness to the requester community. Additionally, Ms. Sessoms greatly assisted the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its efforts to declassify records in accordance with new requirements of an Executive Order on national security classification. Her dedication to the Department's openness-in-government principles has fostered a strong spirit of openness and customer service throughout the Department.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR FRAUD PREVENTION
George D. Hardy
Assistant United
States Attorney
United States Attorney's Office
Southern
District of California
Leslie R. Caldwell
Gail Killefer
Assistant United
States Attorneys
United States Attorney's Office
Northern
District of California
Laurie A. Oberembt
Trial Attorney
Commercial Litigation Section
Civil
Division
Greg Demske
Deputy Chief for
Enforcement
Office of Counsel to the Inspector
General
United States Department
of Health and Human Services
This award is presented to the team for the successful prosecution and negotiation of Beverly Enterprises, Inc., the Nation's largest nursing home chain. This effort achieved the largest global settlement ever in a health care fraud case involving nursing homes. Working together to avoid any possible harm to the nursing home residents, they secured criminal convictions and a fine of $5 million, a civil settlement of $170 million, and an unprecedented corporate compliance agreement.
Alejandro S. Vazquez
Special Agent
Tucson Field Office
Office
of the Inspector General
Special Agent Alejandro Vazquez is honored for his outstanding achievement of bringing to an end an eleven-year immigration fraud scam in which a former Immigration and Naturalization Service employee used her past affiliation with the Service to garner the trust of hundreds of unsuspecting Mexican nationals applying for United States citizenship and then defrauded them. Special Agent Vazquez's investigation determined that the former employee charged immigrants between $300 and $2,000 for her assistance in completing and submitting applications for citizenship and then converted these funds to her personal use without delivering the promised services. To date, 41 victims have been identified and located. Approximately 400 additional suspected victims of fraud have been identified and efforts are underway to locate them as well. As part of her plea agreement, the former employee has agreed to pay $31,000 in restitution to the identified victims and is subject to additional charges being filed against her if other victims are located.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
Helen F. Fahey
United States Attorney
On behalf of the
United States Attorney's
Office
Eastern District of
Virginia
Donald W. Thompson, Jr.
Special Agent-in-Charge
On behalf of the
Richmond Division
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
Willard Dunham
Resident Agent-in-Charge
On behalf of the
Richmond Office
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms
United States
Department of the Treasury
David M. Hicks
Richmond Commonwealth's
Attorney
On behalf of the
Office of the Commonwealth's
Attorney
Richmond, Virginia
Mark L. Earley
Attorney General
On behalf of the
Office of the Attorney
General
Commonwealth of Virginia
Col. Gerald Massengill
Acting Superintendent
On behalf of the
Virginia State Police
Commonwealth
of Virginia
Jerry A. Oliver
Chief of Police
On behalf of the
Richmond
Police Department
Stanley K. Joynes, III
On behalf of
the
Project Exile Citizen
Support Foundation
Barbara Thornhill Joynes
Partner
On behalf of
The
Martin Agency
William H. Baxter
President
On behalf of the
Retail
Merchants Association of Greater Richmond
James W. Dunn
President
On behalf of the
Greater
Richmond Chamber of Commerce
Charles White
President
On behalf of the
Metro
Richmond Crime Stoppers
Dave Jones
On behalf of
Dave
Jones & Associates, Ltd.
John T. Quigley
General Manager
On behalf of
WRLH
FOX-35 Television
James Purther
General Manager
On behalf of
Metro
Networks
John Johnson
President
On behalf of
Community Pride Grocery
Stores
Richmond, Virginia
The team is honored for their roles as participants in Project Exile, a Nationally recognized, aggressive approach to gun violence in Richmond, Virginia which prosecuted hundreds of armed criminals in the State and Federal courts through a comprehensive enforcement effort, supplemented by an innovative community outreach and media campaign.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO STATE AND LOCAL PUBLIC SAFETY
Bernard V. Auchter
Supervisory Social
Science Program Specialist
Office of Research and Evaluation
National Institute of Justice
Office
of Justice Programs
Bernard V. Auchter is recognized for his exceptional contributions to the development and management of a National Institute of Justice Research and Evaluation Program on Violence Against Women and Family Violence. His accomplishments include his leadership role in planning, developing, and managing the first Interagency Consortium on Violence Against Women and Family Violence Research; his service with the Office's Family Violence Working Group, which produced three reports under his direction and was recognized as a model for coordination; and his research and evaluation programs on violence against women and family violence, which included strategic planning meetings, managing Congressionally mandated projects, and having a leadership role in recognizing and advocating for cutting edge research.
THE CUBBY DORSEY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS BY A WAGE GRADE SYSTEM EMPLOYEE
Neal J. Hunt
Motor Vehicle Operator
Foreman
Facilities and Administrative
Services Staff
Justice Management
Division
Neal J. Hunt is honored for his outstanding leadership skills and dedication for providing significant improvements to the overall operations of the Department's Motor Pool. Mr. Hunt's commitment to success is evident from the countless hours he spends identifying and resolving potential problems in the operation of the Motor Pool. Throughout his career he has consistently demonstrated a personal commitment to ensuring that both staff and the Department are successful. Mr. Hunt has provided invaluable assistance, as well as safe and dependable transportation services to many Department officials and staff.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS BY A NEW EMPLOYEE
Eldred L. Jackson
Supervisory Contract Specialist
Acquisition Management Division
Office
of Justice Programs
Since joining the Office of Justice Programs in June of 1999, Eldred L. Jackson, has repeatedly distinguished himself as a true acquisition professional. He has displayed an extraordinary combination of ability, energy, and judgment that has produced outstanding work, great customer service, innovation, and has promoted streamlined approaches to the Office's acquisitions process. Mr. Jackson has been a principal architect in the creation and utilization of Federal Supply Schedule, Blanket Purchase Agreements, Electronic Commerce, and Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity Contracts as streamlined and cost effective approaches to procuring commercial items and services. In sum, Mr. Jackson's exceptional ability and commitment have made a significant impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the acquisitions process during his first year as an employee with the Department.
Dana E. Rollocks
Policy Analyst
Grants Monitoring Division
Office
of Community Oriented Policing Services
Since joining the Grant Monitoring Division in 1998, Dana E. Rollocks has provided an extraordinary level of service that has resulted in significantly advancing the quantity and quality of grant monitoring work completed. She has worked extensively with contractors, staff, and management to develop and refine the Division's state-of-the-art grant monitoring information systems. Her development of these systems resulted in the Office being able, for the first time, to identify baselines and trends in grantee compliance. Her tireless efforts have resulted in the development of systems that now allow critical performance data to be retrieved and analyzed for management tracking reports. She has also led teams that used performance results to make important improvements in grant monitoring in the areas of retention and community policing. Overall, Dana Rollocks has provided an exceptional level of service that has contributed significantly to the mission of the Department.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S MEDALLION
Shirley A. Bania
Office Manager
Office
of the Attorney General
Shirley A. Bania is honored for exceptional and sustained performance to the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Justice. Ms. Bania has served unselfishly, providing a historical repository of the traditions of the Office of the Attorney General and has served as a mentor for new employees. She is known by those who work with her for her sense of humor, creativity, and impeccable work ethic. Her efforts in coordinating the transitions between Attorneys General has been invaluable to the smooth functioning of that office and the Department as a whole. Her dedication to duty, service, and professionalism are of the highest caliber. Ms. Bania has had an impact on many of the guests who have visited and employees who have worked in the Office of the Attorney General.