Attorney General Holder Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony

Attorney General Holder Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their
Service at Annual Awards Ceremony

WASHINGTON Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Attorney General Eric Holder
recognizes 247 department employees for their distinguished public service
today at the 57th Annual Attorney General Awards Ceremony. Thirty-nine other
individuals outside of the department are also honored for their work. Held at
DAR Constitution Hall, this annual ceremony recognizes both department
employees and others for their dedication to carrying out the Department of
Justice's mission.

"It is my privilege to honor these recipients for their outstanding service
and commitment to our country," Attorney General Holder said. "Each of these
dedicated servants has carried out the important mission of the Department of
Justice and has done so with excellence and distinction. Their varied
accomplishments have advanced the interests of justice on behalf of the
American people, and I'm proud to call them my colleagues."

Attorney General Holder and Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden presented
the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service -- the department's
highest award -- to the team responsible for the prosecution of United States
v. Ferguson. The Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service is the
department's highest award.

The Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service is presented to the team
whose investigation and prosecution ended a three-year crime spree, headed by
former Los Angeles Police Department Officer Ruben Palomares. The six-year
investigation and prosecution that broke this conspiracy resulted in 15
individuals pleading guilty and the conviction at trial of two others. Through
their tireless dedication, teamwork, creativity and legal skill, they helped
restore a sense of justice to victims and communities who had been preyed upon
by the very people who had sworn to serve and protect them.

The recipients of the Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service
include, from the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, Jeffrey S.
Blumberg, Special Litigation Counsel; Joshua D. Mahan, Trial Attorney; from
the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, Douglas
McKinley Miller, Assistant U.S. Attorney; and from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) Los Angeles Division, Special Agent Philip J. Carson.

The Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Heroism is given to recognize an
extraordinary act of courage and voluntary risk of life during the performance
of official duties. This year, the award was presented to Anthony J. Layfield,
Senior Officer Specialist of the Federal Bureau of Prisons U.S. Penitentiary
in Atlanta.

Anthony J. Layfield is honored for his commendable act of heroism. On June 2,
2008, a fellow officer was violently attacked by a highly aggressive inmate.
As a result of Officer Layfield's quick, decisive actions, and his continued
attentiveness and dedication to duty, the life of a staff member was saved.
This heroic act spared a family the loss of a husband and a father.

The Edward H. Levi Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Exemplary
Integrity is presented to pay tribute to the memory and achievements of former
Attorney General Edward H. Levi, whose career as an attorney, law professor
and dean, and public servant exemplified these qualities in the best
traditions of the department. Edwin S. Kneedler, Deputy Solicitor General for
the Office of the Solicitor General, is presented the award this year.

Mr. Kneedler played an indispensable role in complex and time-consuming
intra-governmental deliberations on diverse matters of great sensitivity and
importance, including the handling of congressional subpoenas of former
presidential advisors and presidential records, the proper treatment of
Guantanamo detainees, the release of Office of Legal Counsel opinions, and the
appropriate role and uses of presidential signing statements.

The Mary C. Lawton Lifetime Service Award recognizes employees who have served
at least 20 years in the department and have demonstrated high standards of
excellence and dedication throughout their careers. This year's award is
presented to William J. Edwards, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the
Northern District of Ohio. Mr. Edwards is recognized for his outstanding legal
expertise, managerial and supervisory skills, and his active leadership role
as the interim U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. For more than
40 years, Mr. Edwards has fostered strong relationships throughout his federal
career with the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) and other heads of
federal, local and state agencies in support of the law enforcement efforts of
this District. Mr. Edwards is an exceptional individual and role model who
epitomizes professionalism and dedication as an outstanding federal employee.

The William French Smith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cooperative
Law Enforcement is an honorary award granted to recognize state and local law
enforcement officials who have made significant contributions to cooperative
law enforcement endeavors. This year's award is presented to Detective Deborah
K. Scates of the Hartford, Conn., Police Department and Sergeant Christopher
McKee of the Windsor, Conn., Police Department for their the investigation and
prosecution of United States v. Paris, et al., a high-profile sex trafficking
case that resulted in the conviction of 10 individuals and the rescue of
multiple women and juvenile girls that the individuals exploited.

The Attorney General's Award for Meritorious Public Service is the top public
service award granted by the department, and is designed to recognize the most
significant contributions of citizens and organizations that have assisted the
Department of Justice in the accomplishment of its mission and objectives.
This year's award is presented to a team from the Federal Correctional
Institution (FCI) in Miami, Fla. Recipients include Dr. Selma DeJesus, Chief
Psychologist; Dr. Sherri Skibinski, Drug Abuse Program Coordinator Nestor
Chavez, Supervisor of Education; Lori Bearden, Case Manager; Giovanni Gras,
Teacher; Mark Jones, Correctional Counselor; and Paola Londono, Unit
Secretary. These award recipients developed the Inmate Change and Alternative
Network (ICAN). ICAN is part of a re-entry program that focuses on networking
with Federal, State, and local agencies to create a partnership and/or
referral network that provides services to equip inmates for release.

The Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is the Justice
Department's second highest award for employee performance. The recipients of
this award exemplify the highest commitment to the department's mission.
Seventeen Distinguished Service Awards were presented this year to individuals
or teams of people.

One award is presented to members of a team from the National Criminal
Enforcement Section of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division including
Mark R. Rosman, Assistant Chief, and Trial Attorneys Brent C. Snyder, Kathryn
M. Hellings, Mark C. Grundvig and Elizabeth A. Aloi. Through the team's
leadership, dedication, and exceptional investigative and litigation efforts,
multiple worldwide conspiracies to fix and raise prices, rates and fees for
airline passenger travel and for airline cargo shipments of goods were broken
up, and competition was restored to a globally vital industry.

The Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is also presented to a
team honored for their extraordinary efforts throughout the fast-moving and
intense trial and appellate proceedings to defend the Navy's ability to
conduct mission critical training using active SONAR prior to deployment to
hot spots around the world, while at the same time working with the Navy to
ensure compliance with the nation's environmental laws. Recipients were from
the Wildlife and Marine Resources Section of the Environment and Natural
Resources Division, Seth M. Barsky, Assistant Section Chief; Kristen L.
Gustafson and S. Jay Govindan, Senior Trial Attorneys; Kevin W. McArdle and
Michael R. Eitel, Trial Attorneys; from the Natural Resources Section of the
Environment and Natural Resources Division, Charles W. Findlay III, Assistant
Section Chief; Charles R. Shockey, Luther L. Hajek and Guillermo A. Montero,
Trial Attorneys; from the Appellate Section of the Environment and Natural
Resources Division, Andrew C. Mergen, Assistant Section Chief; Allen M.
Brabender, Michael T. Gray and Charles R. Scott, Trial Attorneys; from the
Office of the Solicitor General, Edwin S. Kneedler, Deputy Solicitor General
and Anthony A. Yang, Assistant to the Solicitor General.

Another Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is presented to
Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Lynch from the Western District of Washington.
Phil Lynch is recognized for his outstanding commitment to justice on both
United States and international soil. For 14 years, he successfully defended
the United States as a civil Assistant U.S. Attorney handling numerous,
complex medical malpractice actions for the Western District of Washington.
From 2005-2006, he served at the Regime Crimes Liaison Office in Baghdad,
where he assisted Iraqi attorneys prosecuting crimes by the regime of Saddam
Hussein. In January 2008, Mr. Lynch once again agreed to leave family and home
to serve a one-year term as the Rule of Law Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy in
Baghdad, which made him the most senior Department of Justice official in
Iraq.

Larry W. Krisl, Special Agent, Denver Field Division, and Christopher J.
Trainor, Special Agent, Baltimore Field Division, both from the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are awarded the Attorney
General's Award for Distinguished Service. Special Agents Krisl and Trainor
were assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, from October 2007 to
September 2008. They were involved in day-to-day embassy law enforcement
operations and the initiation and oversight of several high-profile
investigations. Despite great personal risk they performed their duties to
ensure the safety and security of others.

Also awarded the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service are Senior
Officers Andrew Cruickshank and Jose Gonzalez from the Federal Correctional
Complex, Lompoc, Calif., for their life saving efforts on behalf of an inmate.
Mr. Cruickshank and Mr. Gonzalez performed CPR on an inmate for more than 15
minutes while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Their efforts saved an
individual's life and inspired other staff to become certified in CPR.

Seven individuals are awarded the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished
Service for their work on United States v. Eye and Sandstrom. The team
obtained convictions against two violent, racially-motivated offenders. Due to
this team's hard work and excellent litigation skills, two killers were
brought to justice, and an entire community=s civil rights were vindicated.
Award recipients from the Department's Civil Rights Division include Eric L.
Gibson, Trial Attorney; Daniel K. Rosenholtz, former Paralegal Specialist;
individuals from the FBI include, Arch G. Gothard, IV, Special Agent in the
Kansas City Division; Heith R. Janke, Special Agent in the San Antonio
Division; members from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of
Missouri include, Assistant U.S. Attorneys D. Michael Green and David M.
Ketchmark; and Financial Analyst Elsie Robinson.

The Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is also presented to a
team responsible for "Operation Joint Hammer," a transnational enforcement
operation, which led to the identification and prosecution of scores of
dangerous child sex offenders throughout the world. Recipients from the
Department of Justice's Criminal Division include Assistant Deputy Chief and
Assistant to the Chief for the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Steven
J. Grocki and James M. Fottrell; from the FBI's Innocent Images Unit
Investigative Operations Analyst Linda S. Ellerby; Investigative Support
Specialists Julie Ann Harper and Maria E. Jackson; Industrial Security
Specialist Crystal J. Tennessee; Information Technology Specialist Robert J.
Williams and Supervisory Special Agent Mark E. Zimmerman; from the U.S. Postal
Inspection Service, Postal Inspectors Clayton E. Gerber and J. Todd Bame; from
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE), Senior Special Agent Theodore Siggins.

Also awarded the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is, from
the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Phoenix Field Division, Group
Supervisor Mark J. Benek and Special Agents Stephanie J. Barta, Joshua F.
Cluff, Karl W. Hedrick, Daniel Mehdi, Brandon Moore, Daniel E. Moritz and
Robert L. Wardle; and from the Phoenix Police Department Task Force Officer
Danny Valadez. The Phoenix Strike Force Group 1 receives this award for their
outstanding Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)
investigations aimed at dismantling a significant drug trafficking and money
laundering organization. Because of the team's talent, dedication, and hard
work, the Verdugo-Calderon Organization suffered significant damage, including
the loss of its primary leadership and significant disruption to its drug
trafficking activities that reached from Mexico and throughout the United
States.

Another Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is presented to the
prosecution team that successfully investigated and prosecuted the
Vasquez-Valenzuela family, which committed acts of forced prostitution by
young women and minors they smuggled into the country from Guatemala. Members
of the team included, from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District
of California, Cheryl O'Connor Murphy, Curtis A. Kin, Anthony J. Lewis, and
Sarah J. Heidel, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and Paralegal Specialist Rochelle
Wong; from the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division's Criminal
Section, Special Litigation Counsel Andrew J. Kline, Trial Attorney Cyra
O'Daniel, and Paralegal Specialist Connie Lee; from the FBI's Los Angeles
Field Office, Special Agents Tricia Whitehill and Valerie Venegas; from U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Special Agent Miguel Palomino; and from
the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Special Agent
Jesus Quezada Jr.

Also awarded the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service was the
prosecution team for United States v. Pavel Lazarenk. It was the first
prosecution of a foreign political leader for laundering the proceeds of
foreign crimes involving political corruption, fraud and extortion through
financial institutions in the United States. Award recipients from the U. S.
Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California include, Peter B.
Axelrod, Patricia J. Kenney, Stephanie Hinds and Hartley M.K. West, Assistant
U.S. Attorneys; Jonathan R. Howden and Martha A. Boersch, Former Assistant
U.S. Attorneys; Christine Y. Tian, Paralegal Specialist; from the department's
Criminal Division's Organized Crime & Racketeering Section, Hallie A.
Mitchell, former Trial Attorney; Amelia Lucero-Cordes, Paralegal Specialist;
from the FBI Moscow Office, Bryan Earl, Legal Attaché; from the U.S.
Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), San Francisco District
Office, Supervisory Special Agent Bennett Hong; and Charles A. Tonna, Internal
Revenue Agent.

Seven individuals were awarded the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished
Service for their work in the prosecution of Michael Joseph Pepe, a U.S.
citizen who traveled to Cambodia to purchase young girls from their parents.
As a result of the prosecution team=s commitment, dedication and exemplary
efforts, a Los Angeles jury convicted Mr. Pepe of engaging in illicit sexual
conduct in foreign places. Award recipients included, from the U.S. Attorney's
Office for the Central District of California, Assistant U.S. Attorneys
Patricia A. Donahue, John J. Lulejian and Elizabeth R. Yang; from the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Special Agents Gary J. Phillips, Eddy
Wang and Paul Carbone; and Foreign Service National Vansak Sous.

Frank H. Anderson III, Special Assistant to the Chief Information Officer in
the Justice Management Division's Office of the Chief Information Officer is
awarded the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service for his
sustained outstanding leadership, and overall management of the department's
communication needs for nearly 20 years. His oversight and direction have
guided the complex and successful efforts of the Office of the Chief
Information Officer while simultaneously providing services across the
department components and to their executive officers.

The Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is also awarded to,
from the Department of Justice's National Security Division, Counterterrorism
Section Sharon Lever, Deputy Chief; Joanna Baltes, Trial Attorney; from the
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois, David E. Risley,
Assistant U.S. Attorney; Jaci L. Carrell, Paralegal Specialist; from the U.S.
Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Marla Tusk, Assistant
U.S. Attorney; from the FBI Aman Jordan Office, Timothy P. Kirkham, Legal
Attaché; from the FBI Springfield, Ill., Division, John H. Stafford, Assistant
Special Agent in Charge; Matthew J. Iskrzycki, Supervisory Special Agent;
Scott B. Easton, Special Agent; Thomas Michael Shanahan, Mary Kay Eades and
Rebecca L. Miller, Intelligence Analysts; from the FBI Counterterrorism
Division, Jacqueline Maguire, Supervisory Special Agent, and Hillary Brie
Sommer, Intelligence Analyst.; and from the FBI Critical Incident Response
Group Nicholas Zambeck, Special Agent. This team received the award for their
relentless and innovative efforts in the investigation and prosecution of Ali
Saleh Kaleh Al-Marri. The trial team unraveled an international conspiracy and
successfully completed one of the most high-profile terrorism cases in the
department's history.

The Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is awarded to a team
honored for their outstanding efforts to produce four reports of investigation
relating to allegations of politicized hiring within the Department of
Justice, which resulted in the removal of nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006.
Recipients include, from the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector
General Oversight and Review Division, Carol F. Ochoa, Assistant Inspector
General for Oversight and Review; Nina S. Pelletier and Mark S. Masling,
Investigative Counsels; Joseph Symcak, Senior Special Agent; Judy A. Sutrich,
Senior Program Analyst; Jason R. Higley, Special Agent; Dominic N. Russoli,
Paralegal Specialist; from the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector
General Evaluations and Inspections Division, Gina J. Wong, Senior Program
Analyst; Cheron D. Cooper and Katherine A. Zownir, Program Analysts; Cynthia
A. Schnedar, Counselor to the Inspector General, William M. Blier, Senior
Counsel to the Inspector General; from the Department of Justice's Office of
Professional Responsibility, William J. Birney, James D. Duncan and Tamara
Jaycox Kessler, Associate Counsels; Raymond C. Hurley, Senior Assistant
Counsel; Margaret S. McCarty, Assistant Counsel; from the Department of
Justice's Criminal Division, Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section,
Deputy Chief of Policy, James A. Meade.

An Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service is also awarded to Glenn
E. Belgard, Deputy U.S. Marshal of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task
Force. Belgard receives the award for his outstanding leadership and
investigative skill in coordinating a U.S. Marshals Service led Fugitive Task
Force in central Louisiana. Deputy Belgard has been recognized by community
leaders, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, and the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police for arrests of some of the nation's most dangerous
felons. Deputy Belgard's accomplishments in fugitive investigations and his
skillful service to the U.S. Marshals Service and the Department of Justice
exemplifies professional law enforcement.

Phyllis J. Pyles, Director of the Department of Justice's Civil Division Torts
Branch receives the Attorney General's Award for Distinguished Service for her
tenacious and intelligent defense of the United States for more than three
decades in tort litigation. She has had a critical role in the development of
laws protecting the United States from lawsuits. Her work has consistently met
the highest standards of professional excellence.

John D. Griffith, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; from
the Department of Justice's Criminal Division, Fraud Section, Mark F.
Mendelsohn, Deputy Chief; Lori A. Weinstein, Trial Attorney; Pamela Johnson,
Paralegal Specialist; from the FBI Washington Field Office, Brian J. Smith and
Paula L. Ebersole, Special Agents; and Troy Burrus and Howard Smith, from U.S.
Department of Treasury, IRS, are presented with the Attorney General's Award
for Distinguished Service for outstanding performance in the investigation and
prosecution of Siemens AG, a German engineering company. The department's
investigation uncovered evidence of hundreds of millions of dollars of corrupt
payments in dozens of countries spanning several decades, and in virtually
every Siemens operating group and region. The Department's prosecution was
announced simultaneously and coordinated with a civil enforcement action by
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a criminal prosecution by the
Munich Public Prosecutor's Office, resulting in overall sanctions of more than
$1.6 billion. The Department of Justice's coordination of its settlement not
only with the SEC, but also with a foreign regulator sets a new standard in
international cooperation and coordination, and serves as a model for future
global anti-corruption enforcement.

The Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement recognizes outstanding
professional achievements by law enforcement officers of the Department of
Justice. Four Excellence in Law Enforcement Awards are awarded this year.

The Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement is presented to a team from the
U.S. Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force Program. The team is
honored for their outstanding efforts and exceptional service in the reduction
of violent crime and gang activity, and the apprehension of more than 33,000
fugitive felons, more than 1,200 of whom were wanted for murder, during the
past fiscal year. Members include from the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task
Force, Chief Inspector Keith Booker; from the Pacific Southwest Regional
Fugitive Task Force, Chief Inspector Thomas Hession; from the New York/New
Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, Chief Inspector Lenny DePaul; from the
Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, Chief Inspector Michael Richards;
from the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, Chief Inspector Rob
Fernandez; and from the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, Chief
Inspector Geoff Shank.

Another Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement is presented to John "Mickey"
Welch, Special Agent, ATF Nashville Field Division for his leadership and
outstanding investigative ability. This is demonstrated by the successful
racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations investigation and prosecution
of the violent street gang MS-13 in Nashville, Tenn.

Special Agents Richard Bachour, Christopher Goumenis and Sharon Lindskoog,
from the DEA Miami Field Division; Group Supervisor Brian McKnight; from the
DEA Bogota Country Office Group Supervisor John Gazzara; and Special Agent
Adam Allen are honored with the Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement for
their participation in Operation Titan, a multi-jurisdictional Consolidated
and Regional Priority Organization Target DEA investigation of drug
trafficking and money laundering organizations. Coordinated efforts under the
auspices of the Operation Titan team have resulted in the arrest of more than
107 domestic and international targets, seizure of more than $40 million, more
than $2 million in other related assets (to include three aircraft), 26
international bank accounts, more than 3,700 kilograms of cocaine and 10
kilograms of heroin.

Also awarded the Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement was from the FBI Salt
Lake Division, Special Agents Michael J. Gnecknow and Gail L. Gnecknow;
Supervisory Special Agent Donald E. Robinson, Jr.; Investigative Operations
Analyst Dorothy A. Broyles; Evidence Technician Esther Tamez; Financial
Analyst Michele E. Lewis; from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of
Idaho Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wendy Olson and Traci Whelan; Paralegal
Specialist Denise Price; Automated Litigation Support Specialist Pamela J.
Rocca; and Victims Witness Specialist Kristi Johnson. This team receives the
award for their exemplary efforts during a three-year long investigation of a
brutal triple homicide and the abduction of two children in Coeur d'Alene,
Idaho, in May 2005. As a result of their efforts, a violent serial sexual
predator was arrested, and one of the abducted children was recovered.

The Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Management recognizes
outstanding administrative or managerial achievements that have significantly
improved operations and productivity, or reduced costs. Three Excellence in
Management Awards are presented this year.

Paul J. Copenhaver, Warden at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in
Dublin, Calif., is awarded the Attorney General's Award for Excellence in
Management for maintaining high expectations of staff and inmates. He is
directly responsible for the planning and oversight of security enhancements
and procedures at the FCI in Dublin. Through constant oversight, he engineered
a 32 percent reduction in overtime expenditures. His leadership and knowledge
have made him a valuable resource for the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and other
federal agencies, providing significant contributions to the overall
management of staff, inmates and general operations of FCI Dublin.

Another Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Management was presented to
the Grid Computing Initiative Implementation Team for their creative insight
and dedication in the implementation of a virtual supercomputer across the FBI
Trilogy network. Award recipients include, from the FBI's Operational
Technology Division, Jesse H. Taylor, Senior Cryptologic Mathematician; Vivian
K. Clifton, Electronics Engineer; Paul S. Driscoll, Supervisory Information
Technology Specialist; An Q. Nguyen and Chad Richard Loewenstine,
Mathematicians.

Maggie K. Hansen, Supervisory Librarian, Robert F. Kennedy Building Main
Library, in the department's Justice Management Division also received the
Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Management. Hansen is recognized
for assisting litigation efforts by all department components through her
legislative history research. Ms. Hansen foresaw the importance of developing
a historical archive of departmental documents, speeches, and memorabilia by
and about the department. This collection has been instrumental in providing
necessary primary sources to Department of Justice components.

The Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Information Technology
recognizes outstanding achievements in applying information technology to
improve operations and productivity reduce or avoid costs and solve problems.

James Mark Fleshman, Chief Information Officer for the Executive Office for
U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) receives the award for outstanding innovation and
leadership in the development and management of EOUSA's and the U.S. Attorneys
Office's (USAO) information management and information technology resources,
which are deployed nationwide in more than 200 staffed sites. For the past
decade, he has served as a highly effective change agent and as a member of
the management team, has planned and implemented creative approaches resulting
in improved U.S. Attorneys Offices' operational effectiveness and efficiency
at reduced costs.

An Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Information Technology is
awarded to the team that developed and deployed the Innocence Lost Database
(ILD) to assist local, state and federal law enforcement officers working
child prostitution matters. Team members include from the FBI's Criminal
Investigation Division Crimes Against Children Unit, Jamie L. Konstas,
Intelligence Analyst; from the FBI's Washington Field Office, Heather L.
Gordon, Intelligence Analyst; and from the FBI Information Technology
Operations Division, Office of the Chief Technology Officer, Christopher N.
Carrino, Computer Scientist.

The Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of
U.S. National Security recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions
towards protecting U.S. national security. Recipients are, from the FBI, New
York City Division, Zachary J. Miller, Assistant Special Agent in Charge; John
F. Karst, Jr. and Elisabete Santos, Supervisory Special Agents; Lionel A.
DeSilva, James E. Dennehy, Stephen Fullington, William G. Smith, John J.
Hartnett, Robert Kravec, Sara Poole, Michael R. Bickings, Robert B. Booth,
Carol A. Motyka, Peter G. Diaz and Daniel S. Kim, Special Agents.

This group is recognized for their exemplary, tireless performance in
connection with a multi-faceted, long-term investigation, which utilized
numerous resources and sophisticated techniques. These agents displayed
exceptional leadership, managerial and investigative skills throughout this
complex investigation. The group's exceptional service and achievements
greatly enhanced and will continue to contribute to the overall intelligence
base available to the U.S. intelligence community. The extraordinary efforts
resulted in the production of vital intelligence that enabled policy makers to
further shape U.S. foreign policy and protect U.S. national security
interests.

The Attorney General's Award for Equal Employment Opportunity is the
department's highest award for performance in support of the Equal Employment
Opportunity (EEO) Program. This year's recipient is Suzanne L. Bell, Deputy
Director for Legal Recruitment and Outreach, Office of Attorney Recruitment
and Management. Suzanne L. Bell is honored for her superior management of the
department's legal hiring programs. In addition to her exemplary
accomplishments in recruitment and outreach, she has been instrumental in
creating and implementing several new training initiatives, and offering
critical support for new attorneys and current supervisors.

The Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Legal Support recognizes
outstanding achievements in the field of legal support to attorneys by
paralegal specialists and other legal assistants. The recipients in the
Paralegal Category are, from the Environment and Natural Resources Division,
Environmental Crimes Section, Supervisory Paralegal Specialist William N.
Taylor; from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia,
Paralegal Specialist Marti P. Goldring. Recipients from the Legal Support
Category are, from the Environment and Natural Resources Division, Natural
Resources Section, Diana (Deedee) Sparks; and from the Executive Office of
U.S. Trustees - Dallas, Texas, Legal Clerk Christi C. Flanagan.

The Attorney General's Award for Excellence in Administrative Support
recognizes outstanding performance in administrative or managerial support by
an administrative employee or secretary. Recipients in the Administrative
Category are, Misti L. Kloubec, Administrative Officer Budget Analyst, U.S.
Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa; and Peggy C. Taylor,
Administrative Officer, Region 7, U.S. Trustees Program. The recipient in the
Secretarial Category is Rosa F. Rach, Administrative Assistant, Drug
Enforcement Administration Operations Division.

The Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Service in Freedom of Information
Act Administration recognizes exceptional dedication and effort to the
implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This year's recipient
from the U.S. Marshals Service is Associate General Counsel William Edward
Bordley. By implementing new initiatives such as the FOIA/Privacy Act Web site
and electronic reading room, Mr. Bordley greatly enhanced accessibility of
information to U.S. Marshals Service employees and the public.

The Attorney General's Award for Fraud Prevention recognizes exceptional
dedication and effort to prevent, investigate and prosecute fraud,
white-collar crimes and official corruption. Two awards are presented this
year. The Attorney General's Award for Fraud Prevention is presented to the
team responsible for prosecuting the largest pharmaceutical fraud case in the
history of the Department of Justice. Receiving the award are, from the U.S.
Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Catherine L.
Votaw, Joseph A. Trautwein, Denise S. Wolf, Marilyn May, Alvin Stout, Nancy
Rue, and Margaret Hutchinson, Assistant U.S. Attorneys; Denis Cooke and Alison
Barnes, Auditors; from the Department of Justice's Civil Division, Consumer
Litigation Branch, Jeffrey Steger and Ross Goldstein, Trial Attorneys; Regina
Hosey, Paralegal; from the Civil Division, Frauds Section, Patricia R. Davis,
Assistant Director; Patricia Hanower, Trial Attorney.

The Attorney General's Award for Fraud Prevention is also presented to, from
the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, George S.
Cardona, Acting U.S. Attorney: Richard E. Robinson, and Douglas A. Axel and
George S. Cardona, Assistant U.S. Attorneys; from the U.S. Postal Inspection
Service, James Harbin, Catherine Budig and Loretta Cummings, Postal
Inspectors; Daniel Ryan and Humberto DaFonte, Consumer Fraud Analysts; and
from the U.S. Department of Treasury, IRS, Criminal Investigation Division,
Special Agent Gary Tang. The team is recognized for their demonstrated
excellence and perseverance in the successful investigation and prosecutions
of Milberg Weiss and its senior partners.

The Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Public
Safety recognizes outstanding achievement in the development and support of
community partnerships designed to address public safety within a community.
This year's recipients are, from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District
of Massachusetts, John A. Wortmann Jr. and Glenn A. MacKinlay, Assistant U.S.
Attorneys; Martha Wyatt, Program Specialist; from ATF, Thomas F. Crowley,
Special Agent; from Harvard University, Senior Research Associate Kennedy
School of Government, Anthony Braga, PhD; from the Suffolk County District
Attorney's Office, Daniel Mulhern, Assistant District Attorney; Executive
Director, Boston Ten Point Coalition, Reverend Jeffrey L. Brown; from the
Boston Police Department, Sergeant Detective John Ford and Deputy
Superintendent Gary French; Executive Director, Stop Handgun Violence, Laura
Hyer; Director, Boston Re-entry Initiative, True-See Allah; and Re-entry
Manager, Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, Christian J. Mitchell.
This diverse group's efforts serve as a model for community partnering. Faced
with an alarming increase in gang-related violent crime that threatened the
viability of several Boston neighborhoods, the team launched a collaborative
two-year effort aimed at improving the quality of life for area residents.

Robert Scott Taylor, HVAC Foreman, U.S. Penitentiary, Lee, Va., is presented
the Cubby Dorsey Award for Outstanding Contributions by a Wage Grade System
Employee for numerous accomplishments in his area of expertise. Mr. Taylor
completes his assignments with a high level of energy and displays the "team
player" attitude necessary in a correctional environment. Mr. Taylor is a
highly motivated and dedicated individual to the mechanical services
discipline and the Bureau of Prisons.

The Attorney General's Award for Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee
recognizes exceptional performance and notable accomplishments towards the
department's mission by an employee with fewer than five years of federal
career service. Recipients are, Kenneth Moore, Senior Correctional Officer,
Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman, Fla.; Aaron J. Mango, Assistant U.S.
Attorney, White Collar and General Crimes Division, Western District of New
York; Catherine Anne Chess Chen, General Attorney, Office of the FBI General
Counsel; Trisha B. Anderson, Attorney Adviser in the Department of Justice's
Office of Legal Counsel; Zana M. Scarlett, Trial Attorney, Miami Office,
Executive Office for U.S. Trustees.

The John Marshall Awards are the Department of Justice's highest awards
offered to attorneys, for contributions and excellence in specialized areas of
legal performance. Eleven awards in nine categories are presented this year.

The John Marshall Award for Trial of Litigation is presented to, from the
Department of Justice's Criminal Division, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug
Section, Deputy Section Chief Julius Rothstein and Trial Attorney Matthew R.
Stiglitz; and Deputy Chief for Policy and Appeals, Teresa Wallbaum. The team
is recognized for exceptional service to the department and nation for their
relentless efforts in the investigation and conviction of Taliban cell leader
Khan Mohammed.

The John Marshall Award for Trial of Litigation is also presented to the team
that litigated AWG Leasing Trust v. United States, the first case to go to
trial involving the abusive sale in/lease out tax shelter. Recipients include,
from the Department of Justice's Tax Division, Civil Trial Section, Southern
Region Assistant Chief Angelo A. Frattarelli; from the Northern Region, Trial
Attorneys Robert Kovacev, Matthew Von Schuch and Karen Smith.

The John Marshall Award for Participation in Litigation was awarded to the
National Association of Realtors (NAR) trial team. This team earned an
important victory for competition and consumers when NAR reversed its position
and agreed to a comprehensive settlement shortly before trial. Members of the
team include, from the Department of Justice Antitrust Division, Litigation I
Section, Trial Attorney Steven B. Kramer; from the Networks and Technology
Enforcement Section, Trial Attorney Travis R. Chapman; from the Antitrust
Division, Litigation III Section, Assistant Section Chief David C. Kully; and
Trial Attorneys, Craig W. Conrath, Timothy T. Finley, Lisa A. Scanlon, William
H. Jones II, Owen M. Kendler and Mary Beth McGee.

Another John Marshall Award for Participation in Litigation is awarded to,
from the Department of Justice Tax Division, Office of the Assistant Attorney
General Kevin M. Downing, Senior Level Trial Attorney; Michael P. Ben'Ary,
Trial Attorney, Northern Criminal Enforcement Section; Frank P. Cihlar, Trial
Attorney, Criminal Appeals and Tax Enforcement Policy Section; and from the
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, Jeffrey A.
Neiman, Assistant U.S. Attorney. This team is recognized for their outstanding
work in negotiating the deferred prosecution agreement with UBS, the largest
bank in Switzerland and one of the largest worldwide.

The John Marshall Award for Support of Litigation is presented to the Navajo
Trust Litigation Team members for their extraordinary efforts in multiple
trial, appellate and Supreme Court proceedings over nearly a decade to defend
the United States from a nearly $600 million damages claim. Award recipients
include, from the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources
Division Natural Resources Section, Assistant Section Chief Edward J.
Passarelli; Trial Attorneys, Kristine S. Tardiff and Devon L. McCune; from the
Appellate Section, Assistant Section Chief William B. Lazarus and Trial
Attorney Elizabeth Ann Peterson.

The John Marshall Award for the Handling of Appeals is presented to Elizabeth
D. Collery, Trial Attorney in the Appellate Section of the Department of
Justice's Criminal Division. Collery receives the award for her superlative
skill in appellate advocacy. With intelligence and integrity, Ms. Collery has
presented prosecutions time and time again. She has compiled a list of
victories in some of the department's most difficult criminal cases.

This year's John Marshall Award for Providing Legal Advice is presented to
Paul Michael Brown, Senior Counsel for Instructional Activities, from the
Department of Justice's Civil Division, Tort Branch, Constitutional and
Specialized Tort Litigation. Brown is honored for providing legal advice
related to defending federal employees in personal liability litigation.
During 21 years with the department, he has worked tirelessly to share his
expertise with Assistant U.S. Attorneys and agency counsel nationwide in a
variety of creative and cost effective ways.

The John Marshall Award for Preparation or Handling of Legislation is awarded
to the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division's
Lacey Act Team. This team led the administration's efforts, in close
coordination with several client agencies, to obtain amendments to the Lacey
Act, a 100-year-old statute that has served as the principal anti-trafficking
authority in the United States to protect a broad range of fish and wildlife.
Recipients include, from the Law and Policy Section, Assistant Section Chief
Karen M. Wardzinski and Attorney Advisor, Thomas W. Swegle; and from the
Environmental Crimes Section, Senior Trial Attorney Elinor Colbourn and
Assistant Section Chief John T. Webb.

The John Marshall Award for Asset Forfeiture is presented to Lucille C.
Roberts, Deputy General Counsel from the U.S. Marshals Service. Roberts
receives the award for her distinguished service as the primary point of
contact for the U.S. Marshals Service on matters related to asset seizure and
forfeiture.

David W. Gehlert, Trial Attorney from the Natural Resources Section of the
Environment and Natural Resources Division is awarded the John Marshall Award
for Dispute Resolution for his outstanding achievements in using alternative
dispute resolution to settle a long­standing and high profile dispute over
water rights for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado.
Mr. Gehlert used mediation to obtain a settlement that successfully concluded
more than 30 years of litigation. Throughout what proved to be long and
difficult negotiations, Mr. Gehlert exhibited professionalism, integrity,
skill, and creativity that upheld the highest tradition of the Department.

The John Marshall Interagency Cooperation in Support of Litigation Award is
presented to the following recipients from the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs Professional Staff Group II: Richard J. Hipolit, Assistant General
Counsel; David J. Barrans, David R. McLenachen and Michael J. Timinski, Deputy
Assistant General Counsels; Ethan G. Kalett, Supervisory General Attorney; and
Martie S. Adelman, Y. Keun Lee, Jamie L. Mueller and Martin J. Sendek, General
Attorneys. This team is honored for their thorough understanding of veterans'
compensation and pension law. Their efforts have enabled the department to
take consistent and sound positions regarding veterans' compensation and
pension law before the federal courts.

Beginning in 2010, Attorney General Holder will present a new award, the
Claudia J. Flynn Award for Professional Responsibility. This award is named
after the late Claudia J. Flynn, the department's first director of the
Professional Responsibility Advisory Office. This award will recognize
outstanding contributions by a department attorney in the very important area
of professional responsibility, which until now, has not been recognized
through a specific Attorney General award.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Justice, +1-202-514-2007, TDD +1-202-514-1888