September 20 Meeting

US Attorney - Jim Letten

Jim Letten, has served for over twenty-seven years as a federal prosecutor beginning with the U. S. Department of Justice Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force, and became Chief of the Strike Force in March of 1988 and remained Chief of the unit through that office’s merger into the United States Attorney’s Office in 1990, until being named First Assistant in August of 1994. While First Assistant, Jim served as a lead prosecutor in the investigation, prosecution, and successful conviction of former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards following a four-month jury trial in early 2000.

Jim was initially appointed by the U. S. Attorney General as the U. S. Attorney in April of 2001, until his Presidential appointment and subsequent Senate confirmation in July, 2005.

Jim was appointed in 2009 to serve as the Executive Director of the National Center for Disaster and Recovery Fraud, which has its National Command Center in Baton Rouge. Jim is a retired Commander in the U. S. Naval Reserve having served as NCIS Agent. Jim has been and remains active in the U. S. Department of Justice’s role in efforts to rebuild the New Orleans Police Department.

Jim has received numerous awards from federal, state and local enforcement agencies and civic institutions, including University of New Orleans Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2008.

He was awarded the United States Attorney General’s Medallion for Distinguished Service recognizing his leadership following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Most recently, Jim received the Anti-Defamation League’s 2010 Torch of Liberty Award for his leadership and contributions to counteractive bigotry and advancing civil rights. He also received the Southeast Louisiana Boy Scouts of America 2010 Citizen of the Year award.

Letten’s talk included the structure of his office consisting of about 130 employees. The Civil Division in his office  brought back nine settlements last year including the 650 million dollars settlement from Merck. The Criminal Division is divided into different units. For example the Cyber Crime Unit is engaged with FBI and local law enforcements. He indicated that generally senior citizens and retirees are victims of cyber crimes. The heroin uses is way up in the city of New Orleans, and the City suffers from high capital rate of homicides.

Letten expressed his thanks to the local law-enforcements, Sheriff’s Office, Thibodaux Mayor’s Office, Police Department, and District Attorney’s Office. He thanked all those who help him behind the seen.