Kelly Thornton (619) 546-9726
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 26, 2021
SAN DIEGO – US attorney Robert Brewer announced today that he has submitted his resignation to President Biden, which took effect at midnight on February 28, 2021 and has completed more than two years in that position.
“Working as a US attorney was the highlight of my 45-year legal career,” said Brewer. “I am humble to have led the remarkable officers of the office. Together we made our community safer in dangerous times. I have seen our lawyers and staff work tirelessly along with officials, agents and first responders to overcome these unprecedented challenges. I am eternally grateful for your sacrifices and courage. I am confident that the office will continue its critical mission with the highest ethical standards, and I couldn’t be more proud of the work we have done together. “
U.S. First Assistant Attorney Randy Grossman will be named Acting U.S. Attorney immediately after the date of Brewer’s resignation.
Mr. Brewer continued, “Randy Grossman is a great prosecutor and leader. In addition to his long experience as a litigator, Randy’s judgment and collegiality ensure a smooth transition from office. I wish him and each member of the office the best of luck as they continue to pursue justice. “
During Mr. Brewer’s tenure, the office hired a record 48 new assistants for US attorneys – nearly a third of all federal attorneys in the district. strengthened relationships with law enforcement partners; and reorganized the criminal division, including the addition of the Violent Crimes and Human Trafficking Division (VCHT). The VCHT is charged with guiding the collaboration between federal law enforcement agencies and local authorities in investigating and prosecuting violent crime, firearms, and gang cases. Sex trafficking and child exploitation; Civil Rights and Human Trafficking.
Brewer also continued the great work of two Southern District diversion programs, the Alternative to Prison Solutions (APS) diversion program and the Veteran’s diversion program (VDP). These programs offer select defendants who plead guilty of criminal offenses an alternative to detention with the option to have their case dismissed after 12 months to meet certain judicial requirements, such as: B. Finding employment, enrolling in educational programs and obtaining mental health and addiction treatment.
Mr Brewer made the fight against opioids a top priority and launched a strong response when the already grave drug epidemic clashed with the coronavirus pandemic and led to a surge in overdose deaths in San Diego County. US prosecutors prosecuted more than 20 defendants in connection with fentanyl and heroin overdose deaths, bringing justice and a sense of closure to the destroyed family members.
Under the leadership of Mr. Brewer, attorneys in the office have followed some of the most nifty and critical cases in the country including:
- US Representative Duncan Hunter was sentenced to 11 months in prison for stealing US $ 250,000 in campaign funds to cover living and luxury expenses for him and his wife.
- Gina ChampionCain pleaded guilty to launching the longest Ponzi program in San Diego history, with hundreds of victims across California and the nation and estimated losses of up to $ 400 million.
- Abdullahi Ahmed Abdullahi, a Canadian citizen, was successfully extradited to the United States and is on trial for federal government conspiracy to provide material aid to terrorists.
- U.S. Navy captain David Haas and former Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Navy Brooks Alonzo Parks pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and represented the 22nd and 23rd defendants on the bribery and corruption program in which Glenn Defense Marine Asia and its leader were involved, pleaded guilty, “Fat Leonard” Glenn Francis. The Dekadelong scandal affects dozens of officials and officers in the US Navy, fraud cases running into tens of millions and bribes running into millions. Eight other defendants are awaiting trial.
- Rabbi Ysiroel Goldstein, former director of Chabad’s Poway Synagogue, and five of his staff pleaded guilty to fraud and admitted to participating in a complex multi-million dollar tax evasion program and other illegal financial transactions involving theft of public funds over the years.
- Former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, former Honolulu District Attorney Katherine Kealoha, were sentenced to 84 months and 156 months in prison, respectively, for a variety of criminal activities. In addition, the Kealohas co-conspirators, former Honolulu police officers Derek Wayne Hahn and Minh-Hung “Bobby” Nguyen, received 42 months and 54 months, respectively, for their involvement in what has been referred to as the largest corruption case in Hawaii in decades.
- Dr. Jennings Ryan Staley, a licensed physician, has been charged with postal fraud and other crimes arising from his business of selling alleged COVID19 treatment kits and agreeing with a Chinese supplier to smuggle hydroxychloroquine powder into the U.S., including lying the U.S. Customs to label a shipment incorrectly as “yam root extract”.
A distinguished Vietnam War veteran, former district attorney, and a prominent San Diego trial attorney for decades, Mr. Brewer was sworn in as the United States attorney for the southern district of California on January 16, 2019. President Trump appointed Mr. Brewer as a U.S. attorney for the district on June 25, 2018. The entire Senate unanimously confirmed his appointment on January 2, 2019.
Before becoming a US attorney, Mr. Brewer, originally from Ithaca, New York, was an attorney at law with Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek. Prior to that, he served as Assistant District Attorney in Los Angeles County from 1975 to 1977 and as Assistant Attorney in the Central District of California from 1977 to 1982, where he successfully prosecuted a variety of cases including espionage, bank robbery, and murder, hire and airplane hijacking. He also held various senior positions, including deputy head of the crime department.
From 1982 to today, Mr. Brewer worked in private practice, including as a partner at McKenna Long & Aldridge LLP from 1991 to 2009 and as a partner at Jones Day from 2009 to 2014. Prior to law school, Mr. Brewer served in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer and received the Silver Star and two Bronze Stars for combat service in the Vietnam War. Mr. Brewer has been a Fellow at the American College of Trial Lawyers since 1999. He received the Daniel T. Broderick Award from the San Diego County Bar Association in 2009 and the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University of San Diego School of Law in 2016. Mr. Brewer received his BA from St. Lawrence University and his JD from the University of San Diego School of Law.