FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CRM

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1998

(202)514-2008

WWW.USDOJ.GOV

TDD (202) 514-1888

MARY LEE WARREN NAMED TOP PERFORMER

FOR DOJ CRIMINAL DIVISION AWARD

WASHINGTON, D.C. -Mary Lee Warren, an 18-year veteran at the Department of Justice's Criminal Division, today was named the recipient of the annual Henry E. Petersen Memorial Award for her work in counter-narcotics trafficking.

At a ceremony in the Justice Department's Great Hall, Attorney General Janet Reno said, "You have superbly overseen prosecutions that are such an important part of our national fight against illegal drugs."

The award is given annually in memory of a distinguished former criminal division career attorney, Henry E. Peterson, who later became the Assistant Attorney General for that Division.

"Mary Lee has shown dedication and commitment by aggressively combating narcotics trafficking in a well-coordinated and comprehensive manner," added Assistant Attorney General James Robinson of the Criminal Division.

Warren began her employment at the Justice Department in 1980 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. From 1987 to 1989, she served on the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) for the New York and New Jersey areas. She served as the Chief of the Narcotics Unit for the Southern District of New York from 1989 to 1991. She was later named as chief of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Section of the Criminal Division in July 1991. In December 1993, she was appointed to her current position of Deputy Attorney General.

Also receiving awards were three members of the Terrorism and Violent Crime, Fraud, and Appellate Sections: George Toscas, Robertson Park and David Kris.

They received the Assistant Attorney General's Award for Special Initiative for their successful prosecutions of 15 individuals of the so-called Montana Freemen. This group violated federal criminal laws by claiming they were not subject to the laws of the United States.

Some 315 others in the Criminal Division, including attorneys, paralegals and support staff, were given awards or commendations for their work.

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