U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman resigns from Northern District of Ohio

Justin E. Herdman, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced Wednesday in a news release that he has submitted his resignation to President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General William P. Barr. Herdman was sworn in as U.S. attorney on Aug. 21, 2017, and will step down Jan. 8. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget Brennan will be sworn in as acting U.S. attorney. "I commend U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman for his distinguished service to the Justice Department and American people these past few years," Barr said. "Justin is a consummate and principled public servant who has also served as an invaluable member of the Attorney General's Advisory Council. His steadfast commitment to building safer communities and bringing justice to the citizens of Northern Ohio and our nation is unparalleled. Under his leadership, his office forged partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to combat addiction and violence in his community. I wish him well in all his future endeavors." "To serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio for these past three years has been a singular honor," Herdman said. "There are not many jobs where you can work every day to ensure the safety and well-being of millions of your neighbors and friends. Northern Ohio is where I grew up, it is where my wife and I chose to raise a family, and it is where I have always wanted to spend my entire career. To have been offered an opportunity to contribute, even in a small way, to the future of our community is the privilege of a lifetime." During his tenure, Herdman established the Dark Web Working Group. The multiagency investigative team was responsible for charges against the Zheng drug-trafficking organization, which is based in China and in July was designated under the Kingpin Act by the U.S. Department of Treasury. According to the release, Herdman also launched Operation S.O.S. in Lorain County in 2018, which reduced the supply of synthetic opioids in the area. Since that time, opioid overdose deaths in Lorain County have decreased by 31 percent.