WWW.USDOJ.GOV

MARY MURGUIA NAMED DIRECTOR OF THE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General Janet Reno today named Mary H. Murguia, an Assistant United States Attorney from the District of Arizona, as Director of the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) of the Department of Justice.

Murguia, 39, is currently on detail to EOUSA, where she has been serving as a Principal Deputy Director. As Director of EOUSA, Marquia will act as a liaison between the Attorney General, Department of Justice component offices and agencies and the 94 United States Attorneys' offices. Her appointment is effective immediately.

"Mary has had an outstanding legal career," said Reno. "Her prosecutorial and leadership experience make her the right person to head up this important office."

Murguia became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in September 1990. While in Arizona, she was responsible for all aspects of federal felony violent crime criminal prosecutions and appeals, and brought more than 25 federal felony jury trials to verdict.

In November 1994, Murguia was appointed Criminal Deputy Chief in charge of the Violent Crime Section in the District of Arizona. As Criminal Deputy Chief, she handled a significant caseload, trained attorneys, supervised the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, and was responsible for consulting and staffing major prosecutions, including areas such as domestic terrorism, capital murder, civil rights, the Violence Against Women Act, the Child Support Recovery Act, gang and juvenile matters.

In August 1998, Murguia joined EOUSA as Counsel to the Director and in February of 1999 she was appointed Principal Deputy Director.

Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, she served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Wyandotte County District Attorney's office in Kansas City, Kansas. As an Assistant District Attorney, Murguia was responsible for all aspects of felony criminal prosecutions with emphasis on child abuse and sex crimes. She brought more than 40 state felony jury trials to verdict.

Murguia received her J.D. from the University of Kansas in 1985. She received a B.A. in Spanish and a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Kansas in 1982. Murguia currently resides in Washington, D.C.

She has been a member of several professional organizations including, Los Abogados (the Hispanic Lawyers Association in Phoenix), the Hispanic National Bar Association, St. Thomas More Society of Catholic Lawyers, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the Association of Women Lawyers of Greater Kansas City.

Murguia replaces Donna A. Bucella as Director of EOUSA. Bucella, who served as Director since December 1997, will become the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa. James L. Santelle, currently a Principal Deputy Director in EOUSA, will remain in that position.

Along with providing administrative support to 5,000 assistant U.S. Attorneys, the director of EOUSA oversees a budget of more than $1 billion.

U.S. Attorneys offices conduct about 95 percent of the federal criminal prosecutions and 75 percent of the federal civil litigation handled by the Department.

###

99-407