Bilal A. Essayli

Bilal A. "Bill" Essayli is the Acting United States Attorney for the Central District of California. In this role, he leads a team of 500 lawyers, special agents, and staff members enforcing federal criminal law and safeguarding the approximately 20 million people living in the largest district in the country.

Mr. Essayli served as a federal prosecutor in the office's Los Angeles and Riverside offices from October 2014 to February 2018. In this role, he prosecuted criminals charged with violent and organized crime, bank fraud, securities fraud and other white-collar criminal matters.

Mr. Essayli was part of the team of federal prosecutors that responded to the terrorist attack at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino in December 2015. He also obtained a conviction in August 2015 at the conclusion of a three-week criminal trial of a Santa Barbara doctor charged with unlawfully prescribing opiates, which resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen patients.

For two years prior to serving as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Essayli served as a deputy district attorney in the Riverside County District Attorney's Office. He also has worked in private practice for several years.

Mr. Essayli also served in the California State Assembly, representing the 63rd District, which is comprised of a portion of Riverside County.

He is the son of Lebanese immigrants and is an alumnus of Centennial High School in Corona, California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, and Chapman University School of Law.