FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                   CRM
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1994                                    (202) 616-2771
                                                         TDD (202) 514-1888

                   SPEARING NAMED CHIEF OF FRAUD SECTION
                OF DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CRIMINAL DIVISION 
     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Jo Ann Harris, Assistant Attorney
General in charge of the Criminal Division of the Department of
Justice, announced today that Mary Spearing, who heads the
Division's General Litigation and Legal Advice Section, will be
the new Chief of the Division's Fraud Section.  Ms. Spearing will
replace Gerald McDowell, who became the Director of the Asset
Forfeiture Office on October 3, 1994.
     Ms. Spearing, age 43, is a graduate of Vassar College and
Fordham Law School, and a thirteen-year veteran of the Department
of Justice.  Prior to joining the Department she worked at the
New York City Department of Investigations and the Department of
Energy, where she investigated and prosecuted fraud and
corruption cases.  She served as an Assistant United States
Attorney in the Eastern and the Middle Districts of Pennsylvania,
and as a trial attorney and as Deputy Chief in the Child
Exploitation and Obscenity Section, of the Criminal Division. 
Since 1991, she has been Chief of the Criminal Division's General
Litigation Section.
     "We are fortunate that a person of Mary's ability,
experience and energy is available to lead this important
section," Ms. Harris said.  "The investigation and prosecution of
white collar crime is an important and enduring priority for the
Department, and the Fraud Section is at the vanguard of our
efforts to combat it."
     The Fraud Section is the largest in the Division. It handles
many of the most important federal white-collar crime
prosecutions, particularly in the priority areas of health care
fraud, financial institution fraud, defense procurement fraud,
securities fraud and foreign corrupt practices.  It is also
responsible for coordinating Department of Justice policy in
these areas.  The section has over 80 attorneys in Washington and
in three field offices.
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