New Prosecutors Added to U.S. Attorney's Office in Louisville to Combat Violent Crime and Fraud Against the Taxpayers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman announced today that his office has added five new Assistant United States Attorneys; a historic addition, boosting the prosecutorial caseload of the office to tackle violent crimes through the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative and increasing the office’s ability to combat fraud against the taxpayers.  

“I could not be more excited to swear-in these talented and motivated new Assistant U.S. Attorneys today,” stated U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “As they embody “putting our money where our mouth is” in promising to tackle violent crime and drug trafficking in our Commonwealth.”

The addition of the five new federal prosecutors is part of a promise to crack down on violent crime in the 53 Counties of the Western District of Kentucky. With the addition of the new Assistant United States Attorneys the office now employs more than 40 full-time federal prosecutors. This increase in prosecutorial resources also includes three Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Paducah field office; a first-ever long term dedication of this level of resources to the Purchase and Pennyrile areas of the Commonwealth.   

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. Last month, U.S. Attorney Coleman announced that 84 total federal gun cases in Louisville had been brought this calendar year of as part of the PSN program in an effort to crack down against violent criminal activity in Jefferson County, with other indictments targeting violent offenders to be announced later this year.

“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.”  

The new Western District of Kentucky Assistant United States Attorneys include:

• Ann Marie Blaylock comes to the office from the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C where she served six-years, most recently as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Criminal Division. She successfully prosecuted the United States v. Eric Christopher Conn case. The Harvard Law School graduate also secured a conviction against former FBI counterintelligence agent Robert Lustyik.

• Hannah Choate joins the office from private practice working regulatory compliance matters, government and internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation as a law firm associate in Washington D.C. and New York. Hannah has represented clients since 2012 in multiple high profile cases before the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Hannah graduated from New York University School of Law, and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science and Global Studies from the University of Tennessee.
   
• Nicole Elver served as the past four-years as a partner with a law firm in Louisville conducting investigations and representing clients in criminal and civil and regulatory matters involving financial crimes, such as money laundering, fraud and securities fraud. Nicole also served as an associate with another law firm in Louisville from 2009 to 2014, and as staff attorney with the U.S. Securitas and Exchange Commission from 2001 to 2008; Nicole graduated with honors from Marquette University Law School.
   
• Alicia Gomez comes to the office after nearly eight years as an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Jefferson County. She is an experienced trial attorney with a wide range of cases, including murders and sexual offenses, drug crimes and firearms offenses. Most recently she worked with the Heroin Rocket Docket and the Special Victims Unit. Alicia graduated from both undergraduate and law school from the University of Louisville.
   
• Timothy Thompson is a 2011 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law where he graduated with honors and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Kentucky Law Journal. Following law school, Tim clerked for two years for Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Following his clerkship, and for the past five years, Tim has practiced in Louisville and was a member of his law firm’s business litigation practice team where he represented various types of corporate clients, defending them from claims like breach of contract, fraud, negligence, consumer protection, and federal civil rights.