William R. Keyes Takes Oath as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia

ALBANY, Ga. – William R. “Will” Keyes took the oath of office at noon today, administered by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner, to become the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Keyes as the interim U.S. Attorney on June 20. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the C.B. King United States Courthouse in Albany.

“It is a tremendous honor to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, and I am incredibly grateful that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their trust in me,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I care deeply for this District and look forward to working closely with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners on behalf of all Middle Georgians. Together, we will protect our communities and uphold the rule of law.”

As the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Keyes is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Middle District of Georgia, which covers 70 of Georgia’s 159 counties and includes Albany, Athens, Columbus, Macon and Valdosta with a population of approximately 2,045,000 people. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, fraud, firearms, illegal gangs and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

U.S. Attorney Keyes joined the Department of Justice as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of Georgia in 2018. He has prosecuted a broad range of federal criminal cases, including drug trafficking organizations, violent crime, child exploitation, and offenses related to terrorism. He has held numerous leadership roles in the office, including the Project Safe Neighborhood Coordinator, Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, National Security Cyber Specialist and District Election Officer. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Criminal Chief.

Before joining the office, U.S. Attorney Keyes was on active duty in the U.S. Army. He served with the Office of Military Commissions in Washington, D.C., prosecuting alleged members of Al-Qaeda in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Before that assignment, he deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, where he served as a legal advisor to soldiers operating throughout Kuwait and Iraq. He began his career at a law firm in Atlanta.

In addition to his duties with the office, U.S. Attorney Keyes serves in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Judge Advocate. In this capacity, he has provided instruction on humanitarian law to forces from partner nations in East Africa and Central America. His military awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and he is a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne School.

U.S. Attorney Keyes holds four degrees from the University of Georgia, which include his law degree, a master’s degree in economics and undergraduate degrees in economics and statistics. He remains involved with the University of Georgia and currently serves on the alumni board for the business school. A lifelong Georgian, Mr. Keyes and his wife, Margaret Sullivan Keyes, who was born and raised in Albany, live in Macon, where they are raising their two sons.

U.S. Attorney Keyes succeeds C. Shanelle Booker, who has served as the Acting U.S. Attorney since January and will continue to serve as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney (FAUSA) for the Middle District of Georgia. U.S. Attorney Keyes recognized FAUSA Booker for her exemplary service to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and said, “Mrs. Booker is a gifted leader and has done an incredible job serving our District.”

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For more information about the office, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga.