A University of Akron law school graduate has been sworn in as Northern Ohio’s top-ranking federal law enforcement officials, pending Senate confirmation.
David M. Toepfer was sworn in as U.S. Attorney July 23 at the federal courthouse in Akron by Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi following his appointment by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. Toepfer, a Warren resident, becomes the first Youngstown-area appointee to lead the district in more than 117 years, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of Northern Ohio in this role. Our office will continue working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to protect the public by aggressively enforcing the laws of the United States,” Toepfer said in the release.
President Donald Trump nominated Toepfer to the position in July. Carol M. Skutnik had been serving in the role on an interim basis since Trump took office in January.
“I am thankful for the trust President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed in me, and for the support of Senators (Bernie) Moreno and (Jon) Husted as the confirmation process proceeds through the Senate,” Toepfer said.
Toepfer will be responsible for a district that covers the 40 northernmost counties in Ohio, home to about six million people. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has its main headquarters in Cleveland and additional branches in Akron, Toledo and Youngstown.
Toepfer joined the Northern District of Ohio in 2008 as an Assistant United States Attorney based in Youngstown. He most recently served as branch chief for both Youngstown and Akron, supervising attorneys and prosecuting a variety of federal criminal cases including bank robbery and narcotics.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he served nine years as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Trumbull County.
“Toepfer has dedicated his career to focusing on the prosecution of the most violent offenders, dismantling interstate drug trafficking organizations and enforcing federal immigration laws”, the Justice Department’s release read.
In 2010, the Justice Department recognized Toepfer with the Director’s Award for leading the Violence and Gun Reduction Interdiction Program in Youngstown and Warren. The program targeted violent offenders who illegally possessed firearms.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: David Toepfer sworn in as U.S. Attorney for Northern Ohio ahead of Senate confirmation
Reporting by Anthony Thompson, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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