FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is your office’s mission?
Each day over 200 employees in this office come to work for the citizens of the Northern District of Georgia. Each of us considers public service a privilege. We seek daily to fulfill the public's trust in us and the public's expectation we will protect them. Meeting this expectation is challenging in a district of over six million people with a geographic scope that runs from the mountains in the north, to the Atlanta suburbs in the south, from the border of Alabama in the west, to the two Carolinas in the east. While these are the district's geographic boundaries, our work really extends well beyond them when we coordinate with other law enforcement agencies to combat the threat to international and domestic terrorism and when we work with agencies and intelligence sources literally around the world to identify those who bring the scourge of drugs to our country and our state.
We also work hard to restore and maintain public confidence in governments and in corporate America, by investigating and prosecuting those who abuse the public and private sector positions entrusted to them. While addressing crimes like these which impact all of us, we also attend earnestly to crimes which, even though they may have fewer victims, also cause serious harm. Indeed, we day to day aggressively investigate violent crimes, and those who illegally possess and use firearms. And our duties do not end there. We are charged with firmly but reasonably, defending federal agencies and officials against civil claims and we aggressively pursue, both criminally and civilly, those who damage the government and others through fraud and abuse. We collect restitution for victims, collect the just debts of the United States and its agencies, and use the federal forfeiture laws to disrupt and deter criminal activity and dismantle criminal enterprises.
With your help, we will remain strong and safe. We are effective in what we do when we have your support, cooperation, and encouragement in identifying and prosecuting those who would commit crimes against us and our nation. This web page is intended to strengthen our partnership with you by letting you know what we do and who you may contact if you need our help, or you need to let us know about something that may be happening in your community. We hope what you find here will show you how national and local, federal and state, government and citizens are working together to make our district, our state, and our country a safe place to raise our children and a place where businesses and public officials act with integrity and in the interest of America and its people.
Where is your office? Are courtrooms open to the public?
The office is located in the Richard B. Russell Federal Building at 75 Spring Street S.W. in downtown Atlanta, near the Georgia Dome, Philips Arena, and the CNN Center. Public street parking is very limited around the building. There are numerous pay parking lots adjacent to the building, and the MARTA public transit Five Points Station is one block Northeast of the Building. Most courtrooms and hearings are open to the public and located on the upper floors of the building. Observers must go through security and follow all courtroom rules.
Does the U.S. Attorney’s Office offer legal help?
The U.S. Attorney’s Office represents the United States in criminal, civil and other proceedings but does not represent private individuals and cannot give legal help to individuals. A person seeking legal advice is advised to seek their own legal help, which may include Legal Aid, Bar Association and other entities across North Georgia which can assist an individual in finding appropriate help in their legal situation.
How can I find out about some of the cases your office has handled?
You can locate recent cases on this website by following the “News” link. A number of cases each week are highlighted and described in detail in the news releases, which are sent out to dozens of media outlets in North Georgia. Citizens can often find out details about large scale cases, and other cases which directly affect the community.
How can I find out what has happened to a defendant who has been sentenced to prison as a result of one of your cases?
The United States Bureau of Prisons website has a section called “Inmate Locator” on the left side of the page. By typing in a name and other information, you can find out how long an inmate is serving, where the inmate is housed, and a brief description of the location and picture of the institution. If an inmate has been released, the website will often give a date of release. www.bop.gov
How do I report a federal crime?
Federal crimes are investigated by many agencies. Here are just a few of the federal agencies which investigate federal crimes and their general contact numbers.
BATF - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
404-417-2600DEA - Drug Enforcement Administration
404-893-7000U. S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement-(DHS-ICE)
404-346-2814U.S. Secret Service
404-331-6111FBI
404-679-9000USDA Forest Service
770-297-3052IRS - Internal Revenue Service
Criminal Investigation
404-338-7500U.S. Postal Inspection Service
404-608-4520
