Photo Courtesy of EDNY
Donoghue was sworn in on Thursday by Chief Judge Dora Irizarry.
By Michael V. Cusenza
United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently announced the appointment of Richard Donoghue as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
The Eastern District is: Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island in NYC; and Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island.
Despite blizzard conditions, Donoghue was sworn in on Thursday by Chief Judge Dora Irizarry.
“When I became Attorney General, President Trump gave me clear orders to go after MS-13,” Sessions said. “Since then, this Department of Justice has been relentless, arresting hundreds of MS-13 members from Los Angeles to Long Island. Today, I am appointing someone as Interim United States Attorney for Eastern District of New York who has tremendous experience prosecuting MS-13: Richard Donoghue. As a federal prosecutor for more than a decade—including as Criminal Chief of that office—he has been involved in the prosecution of gang members, terrorists, and corrupt public officials. Every MS-13 member in Long Island should know, Richard Donoghue will use all the tools at his disposal to get criminals off our streets.”
According to the DOJ, Donoghue served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the EDNY office, where he held positions including Chief of the Criminal Division and Chief of the Long Island Criminal Division. As an AUSA, he investigated and prosecuted MS-13 racketeering cases and other violent crime, white collar crime, public integrity offenses, and drug trafficking.
Additionally, from 1993 to 2000, Donoghue served on active duty in the U.S. Army JAG Corps, where he held positions including military magistrate judge, prosecutor, defense counsel and contract litigator; and from 1993 through 1995, Donoghue served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Donoghue received his B.A., cum laude, from Hofstra University and his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.
Upon the appointment of Donoghue as Interim U.S. Attorney, acting U.S. Attorney Bridget Rohde will resume her role as First Assistant U.S. Attorney.
In other EDNY news, Sessions on Friday selected the district to receive two additional Assistant U.S. Attorney positions to focus exclusively on violent crime.
“I have asked Congress for additional PSN funding because I believe nothing will be more effective at reducing violent crime,” the AG said. “Under this program, I am asking a great deal of our United States Attorneys. I am both empowering them and holding them accountable for results.”
According to Sessions, the additional resources will “enhance the office’s ability to prosecute violent crimes” committed by members and associates of MS-13. The prosecutors will also focus on other violent gangs such as the Crips, Bloods, Latin Kings, 18th Street gang, Salvadorans with Pride, and Outlaw motorcycle gangs, all of which have a significant presence in the Eastern District.
“The provision of additional Assistant U.S. Attorney positions reflects the commitment of the Department of Justice to reduce violent crime by identifying and prosecuting gang members whose destructive conduct endangers residents of our district,” Donoghue said. “Using every law enforcement resource available, this office and the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force will continue to work tirelessly to make our communities safer by bringing to justice those violent criminals who show no regard for human life.”
