U.S. Lawyer Robert Brewer Stepping Down just after Two A long time as San Diego’s Main Federal Regulation Enforcement Officer | USAO-SDCA

Kelly Thornton (619) 546-9726    

News Release SUMMARY – February 26, 2021

SAN DIEGO – U.S. Lawyer Robert Brewer declared today that he has submitted his resignation to President Biden, effective at midnight on February 28, 2021, concluding far more than two several years in the situation.

“Serving as U.S. Attorney has been the spotlight of my 45-yr legal vocation,” Mr. Brewer said. “I am humbled to have led the office’s extraordinary public servants. Collectively we have created our local community safer by perilous times. I have witnessed our attorneys and staff members, alongside officers, agents, and first responders, do the job tirelessly to meet these unparalleled troubles. For your sacrifices and your courage, I am eternally grateful. In departing, I am confident that the office environment will carry on its critical mission with the greatest moral standards, and I could not be far more happy of the operate we attained alongside one another.”

Initial Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman will come to be Performing U.S. Legal professional right away subsequent the productive date of Brewer’s resignation.

Mr. Brewer continued, “Randy Grossman is an remarkable prosecutor and chief.  In addition to his extensive encounter as a trial legal professional, Randy’s judgment and collegiality will make sure a sleek transition for the workplace. I desire him and each and every member of the place of work the best of luck in the ongoing pursuit of justice.”

For the duration of Mr. Brewer’s tenure, the business employed a file 48 new assistant U.S. lawyers – just about one particular-third of the total ranks of federal prosecutors in this district strengthened relationships with legislation enforcement partners and reorganized the criminal division, like the addition of the Violent Criminal offense and Human Trafficking Segment (VCHT). VCHT is tasked with main collaborations between federal and area legislation enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of conditions involving violent crimes, firearms and gang circumstances sexual intercourse trafficking and boy or girl exploitation civil legal rights, and labor trafficking.

Brewer also ongoing the great operate of two of the Southern District of California’s diversion packages, the Choice to Prison Solutions (APS) Diversion Method and the Veteran’s Diversion Application (VDP). These courses provide pick out prison defendants who plead responsible to felony expenses an different to incarceration with an prospect to have their situation dismissed just after 12 months in trade for compliance with selected courtroom needs, these as getting employment, enrolling in training programs, and acquiring psychological health and habit therapy.

Mr. Brewer made combatting opioids a top rated priority and directed a solid reaction when the previously-critical drug epidemic collided with the coronavirus pandemic, producing overdose fatalities to spike in San Diego County. The U.S. Attorney’s Workplace pursued a lot more than 20 defendants in connection with fentanyl- and heroin-linked overdose death situations, bringing justice and a feeling of closure to devastated household associates. 

Underneath Mr. Brewer’s management, attorneys in the office have prosecuted some of the most subtle and significant instances in the nation, like:

• U.S. Consultant Duncan Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in jail for stealing $250,000 in campaign cash to shell out for his and his wife’s residing and luxury charges.
• Gina ChampionCain pleaded responsible to masterminding the longest Ponzi plan in San Diego record with hundreds of victims in the course of California and the nation and losses estimated as high as $400 million.
• Abdullahi Ahmed Abdullahi, a Canadian countrywide, was successfully extradited to the United States and faces demo on federal conspiracy expenses of giving substance support to terrorists.
• U.S. Navy Captain David Haas and former U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Brooks Alonzo Parks pleaded responsible to conspiracy to commit bribery, representing the 22nd and 23rd defendants to have entered responsible pleas as element of the bribery and corruption plan involving Glenn Protection Maritime Asia and its leader, “Fat Leonard” Glenn Francis. The decadelong scandal requires scores of a lot of U.S. Navy officials and officers, tens of tens of millions of dollars in fraud, and millions of pounds in bribes. 8 more defendants await jury trial.
• Rabbi Ysiroel Goldstein, previous Director of Chabad of Poway Synagogue, and 5 of his associates pleaded responsible to fraud costs, admitting they participated in a intricate, yearslong, multi-million greenback tax-evasion plan and other unlawful fiscal transactions involving theft of public money.
• Former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his spouse, previous Honolulu prosecutor Katherine Kealoha, ended up sentenced to 84 months and 156 months in jail, respectively, for a vast range of legal perform, which include framing their relative with a crime to conceal their possess fraud. Furthermore, the Kealohas’ coconspirators, former Honolulu police officers Derek Wayne Hahn and Minh-Hung “Bobby” Nguyen, gained 42 months and 54 months, respectively, for their involvement in what has been termed the premier circumstance of corruption in Hawaii in many years.
• Dr. Jennings Ryan Staley, a licensed doctor, was indicted for mail fraud and more crimes arising from his enterprise undertaking providing alleged COVID19 “treatment kits” and agreeing with a Chinese supplier to smuggle hydroxychloroquine powder in the U.S., such as lying to U.S. Customs by mislabeling a shipment as “yam extract.”

Mr. Brewer, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, former prosecutor and popular San Diego litigator for a long time, was sworn in on January 16, 2019 as the United States Legal professional for the Southern District of California. President Trump nominated Mr. Brewer to provide as U.S. Attorney for this district on June 25, 2018. The comprehensive Senate unanimously confirmed his appointment on January 2, 2019.

Prior to getting to be U.S. attorney, Mr. Brewer, a native of Ithaca, New York, was an Of Counsel litigation lawyer at Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek. He formerly served as a Deputy District Legal professional in Los Angeles County from 1975 to 1977, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California from 1977 to 1982, in which he properly prosecuted a wide range of circumstances which includes espionage, bank theft, murder for hire and plane hijacking. He also held a variety of management positions, together with Assistant Chief of the Prison Division.

From 1982 by the existing, Mr. Brewer was in private practice, like from 1991 to 2009 as a companion at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP, and from 2009 to 2014 as a lover at Jones Day. In advance of attending regulation college, Mr. Brewer served in the United States Army as an Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer and gained the Silver Star and two Bronze Stars for his battle services in the Vietnam War. Mr. Brewer has been a Fellow in the American University of Demo Attorneys considering that 1999.  He gained the Daniel T. Broderick Award from the San Diego County Bar Affiliation in 2009 and the Distinguished Graduate Award from the College of San Diego College of Legislation in 2016.  Mr. Brewer acquired his B.A. from St. Lawrence College, and his J.D. from the College of San Diego College of Law.