UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA ANNOUNCES NEW INTERIM UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that, a former Pittsburgh resident and Allegheny County native, Dennis C. Pfannenschmidt will serve as the interim United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Pfannenschmidt replaces Martin C. Carlson, who resigned as United States Attorney, effective August 8, 2009.

Mr. Pfannenschmidt will serve as United States Attorney pending the selection and confirmation of a Presidentially-appointed United States Attorney.

“On behalf of the office, it has been an honor and a privilege working with Mr. Carlson over the past twenty years. During Mr. Carlson’s tenure he has enjoyed exceptional success protecting and serving the public. Under Mr. Carlson’s leadership, the U.S. Attorneys office has achieved landmark results attacking organized crime, protecting children, and putting drug traffickers and violent armed felons in prison. Together, we have recovered more than $127,000,000 for the public, and we have earned national recognition for our pioneering work in corporate fraud, drug trafficking investigations and immigration law enforcement. Mr. Carlson has been a great leader and an even better friend and we wish him the very best,” stated Mr. Pfannenschmidt.
Mr. Pfannenschmidt is a twenty year veteran of the Department of Justice and has served in the United States Attorney’s Office since 1988. During his tenure Mr. Pfannenschmidt has received numerous awards from the Department of Justice as well as awards from other federal, state, and local agencies for his criminal and civil litigation success.

This is Mr. Pfannenschmidt’s first term as United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. During his tenure in the United States Attorney’s Office, Mr. Pfannenschmidt has held senior management positions, including Chief of the Civil Division of the United States Attorney’s Office from 2002 through 2009. Prior to becoming Chief of the Civil Division in the United States Attorney’s Office, from 1998 to 2002, Mr. Pfannenschmidt served as a Managing Attorney and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. From 1988 through 1998, Mr. Pfannenschmidt was employed as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District in the Criminal Division.

Prior to joining the United States Department of Justice, from 1985 through 1988, Mr. Pfannenschmidt was a Senior Deputy Attorney General for the Office of Attorney General, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the Criminal Law Division. From 1981 through 1985 Mr. Pfannenschmidt was an Assistant District Attorney in Centre County, Pennsylvania
Mr. Pfannenschmidt is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1975, and from the Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law in 1978. He currently resides in Carlisle, Pennsylvania with his wife. They have two daughters.

The nation’s 93 United States Attorneys are responsible for the prosecution of federal crimes such as firearms, narcotics, money laundering, pornography and fraud; the defense of civil cases brought against the United States; the collection of debts owed to the United States; and the recovery of restitution owed by criminals to their victims.

As United States Attorney, Mr. Pfannenschmidt will perform these law enforcement duties in a 33 county area, which embraces some 22,000 square miles, or approximately 47% of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and is home for more than 3,200,000 Pennsylvanians.

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