First Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith Awarded Top DOJ Honor

ALBANY, NEW YORK – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith received the Department of Justice Director’s Award for Executive Achievement yesterday at the annual Director’s Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. 

Mr. Jaquith was recognized for his work as a prosecutor and supervisor during his 27-year career at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.  Mr. Jaquith, who has served as the First Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2010, oversees all aspects of the operation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  He also represents the Office in its relations with federal, tribal, state, local and Canadian law enforcement agencies. 

Mr. Jaquith received his award from Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and Monty Wilkinson, Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, during a ceremony in the Great Hall of the Department of Justice building.  He was one of only two people to receive the Executive Achievement Award, and among 160 Director’s Award recipients from U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. 

In her prepared remarks, Deputy Attorney General Yates told the awardees yesterday: “The achievements being recognized today reflect the breadth of the department’s responsibilities, and some of our most significant challenges.  From dismantling dangerous gangs, drug cartels and human trafficking operations to tackling political corruption, white collar crimes, and international terrorism, these awardees have taken on our toughest cases.  And the citizens of our country are safer because of their work.” 

U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian, who attended the Director’s Awards ceremony with First Assistant Jaquith and his family, stated after the event: “Grant is the epitome of the ideal Department of Justice executive who does his work in an exceptionally outstanding matter, never seeking credit and always considering the best interests of the Office and the Department.  Not only is he relentless in his pursuit of justice, but he consistently supports everyone in the Office with his unwavering good cheer and encouragement.  His is a career of consistent and continuing excellence, and he is an example to us all at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I am very pleased that his work has been recognized.” 

First Assistant Jaquith joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in August 1989 and has held the positions of Narcotics Chief, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Coordinator, Criminal Chief and now First Assistant U.S. Attorney.  In addition to overseeing the U.S. Attorney’s Office, First Assistant Jaquith also continues to prosecute complex criminal cases.  This year, for instance, First Assistant Jaquith obtained perjury convictions against two people in the ongoing investigation into a May 2013 arson in Schenectady, New York, which caused the deaths of four people including three young children, and seriously injured another child. 

The annual Director’s Award Ceremony recognizes excellent work at U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country.  In 2014, four Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Northern District of New York were recognized for prosecuting a complex financial fraud based in Albany and violent, drug-dealing gang members in Syracuse.