Additional Federal Prosecutor Added to Paducah Office to Combat Drug Trafficking and Violent Crime

PADUCAH, Ky. – During a formal investiture and community event in Paducah, United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman announced today the full-time addition of Leigh Ann Dycus as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Paducah field office and  reaffirmed his commitment to the Purchase and Pennyrile Regions through the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative.  

““The Feds” are committed to being better partners to Purchase & Pennyrile area law enforcement in protecting Kentucky families,” stated U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “The president has emphasized that there are no fly-over areas of our country, and this dedication of federal resources to Paducah demonstrates that every region of our Commonwealth matters.”

The addition of a third full-time prosecutor in Paducah is part of a continued pledge to support federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in reducing criminal activity in all 53 counties of the Western District of Kentucky. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Paducah has never had sustained prosecutor staffing at this level.  This allocation of resources is closely-tied to robust activity by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) in the area and the recent announcement by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the first-time ever opening of an office in Paducah. 

Dycus joins Assistant United States Attorney Seth Hancock, Branch Manager of the Paducah office, and Assistant United States Attorney Madison Sewell in prosecuting cases before U.S. District Judges, in United States District Courts, located in Paducah, Owensboro and Bowling Green.

As an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in McCracken County, Dycus specialized in violent sexual crimes, crimes against children and drug prosecutions. She was named Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney of the year in 2018. Dycus has served in the United States Attorney’s Office as a Special Assistant United States Attorney since May, 2018, prosecuting federal drug and gun offenders.

“Leigh Ann joined our office as an intern and later became a full-time prosecutor in 2014, during her time with us she became one of the top prosecutors in the office, and could always be counted on to do the right thing - no matter how difficult that might be,” McCracken County Commonwealth Attorney Dan Boaz said. “While she is moving to the United States Attorney’s Office I don’t feel like we’re losing her, because we have a strong partnership with our local U.S. Attorney’s Office; we work together to fight against violent crime and the massive influx of methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs coming into the community.”

“Way down here in the Purchase we are often paranoid, thinking that the rest of the state forgets we exist because of the distance involved,” said Justice Bill Cunningham, a former prosecutor who represents the Purchase region in the Kentucky Supreme Court. “It is reassuring to have U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman to provide the extra prosecutor for us. And, we are also grateful he picked a dandy in Leigh Ann Dycus.”

One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is a commitment to aggressively reduce violent crime across the country, including all 53 counties in the Western District through true partnerships with all levels of law enforcement. Recently a number of indictments were announced in Mayfield, Kentucky as part of the PSN program in an effort to crack down against violent criminal activity in Graves County.

“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs.  I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face.  Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”