With a new president taking office, Biden appointee Jill Steinberg has announced her resignation as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District.
Steinberg, who resigns effective Jan. 17, has served as U.S. Attorney for the 43-county district since Feb. 22, 2023.
“Serving as U.S. Attorney has been a distinct honor and privilege, and I am grateful for the hard work, camaraderie and friendship of the dedicated professionals who continue to serve on behalf of the American people,” she said in a statement. “Representing the United States in court is an incredible responsibility, and those who seek justice on behalf of our nation deserve our lasting gratitude. I am proud to have served alongside them.”
The office counts among its accomplishments during Steinberg’s tenure a statewide investigation that identified unconstitutional conditions at Georgia’s state prisons and holding accountable individuals responsible for more than $12 million in pandemic relief fraud and the successful prosecutions of drug-trafficking conspiracies, other large-scale fraud operations, child sexual exploitation and nearly 200 cases involving possession of firearms by felons.
Additional highlights from her tenure include Operation Ghost Busted, intended to address an uptick in overdose deaths in the Brunswick area and Operation Night Drop, a methamphetamine trafficking operation involving state prisons, according to the statement.
“It is my hope that the citizens of the Southern District of Georgia will feel safer and better informed and empowered through our outreach efforts,” Steinberg said. “Knowledge is a powerful tool, and informed citizens are a vital part of protecting our civil rights and the security of our neighborhoods.”
During his prior term, President-elect Donald Trump appointed an attorney from the Augusta area, Bobby Christine, who served from 2017-2021, as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District. Christine currently serves as district attorney for the Columbia County Judicial Circuit.
