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USA Jonathan Ross - Eastern District of Arkansas
Staff Profile
U.S. Attorney

Jonathan D. Ross

Jonathan D. Ross was appointed as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas by the United States District Court effective March 17, 2022.  Mr. Ross had previously served as the United States Attorney following his appointment by Attorney General Merrick Garland on November 17, 2021.  Before that time, he served as Acting U.S. Attorney under the Vacancies Reform Act beginning on January 1, 2021. Mr. Ross entered on duty to the district as the First Assistant United States Attorney on February 5, 2018.

Ross, as United States Attorney, is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Eastern District of Arkansas. The district serves 41 counties within three divisions – Northern, Central, and Delta.  The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, violent crime, civil rights violations, white collar/corporate crime, organized crime,  firearms and narcotics.  The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

Mr. Ross is a career prosecutor. Prior to joining the Department of Justice, he began his career in public service on January 6, 2003 when he was sworn in as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the State of Arkansas for the 6th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Little Rock. As a deputy prosecutor he handled a diverse caseload consisting of narcotics trafficking, violent crime, crimes against children, rape, and sexual assault.  Over time, he developed an expertise in financial crimes to include embezzlement, money laundering, and asset forfeiture. He served in this role continuously until June 30, 2012 when he was hired as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas.

His caseload there included public corruption, wire fraud, money laundering, tax crimes, drug trafficking, gun crimes, and crimes against children.  He served in this role until he was hired as an AUSA for the Eastern District of Texas on October 31, 2016. During his time in Texas, his caseload evolved to include procurement fraud and crimes committed at a Bureau of Prisons facility within the district.

Mr. Ross grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas and received his Bachelor’s of Public Administration from the University of Central Arkansas in May of 1999 and his law degree from the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in May of 2002.

Mr. Ross is sincerely grateful for the opportunity to serve the country as the U.S. Attorney, however he would like to note that is especially humbling to be able to honor the legacy of his paternal grandfather whom he never met, Captain Edwin Lee Ross who was killed in action at Mount Castre near La Haye-Du-Puits, France on July 4, 1944 where he was serving as a Captain of Company K, 359th Infantry of the 90th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army.

On January 1, 2021, USA Ross succeeded former U.S. Attorney Cody Hiland, who had served as U.S. Attorney from October 2017 through December 31, 2020. 

Dates of Service
2021 - Present
Updated May 2, 2023