Post by: Julianne Fleischer
Greetings from California! I have the privilege of working with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is the government’s prosecutorial branch of the Department of Justice. I am working in the criminal division which covers a large range of federal crimes, including human trafficking, drug trafficking, and possession/distribution of child pornography.
Unfortunately, this area of California is a main hub for these crimes. The Assistant U.S. Attorneys are working with many other federal agencies by “working up” cases on these crimes. “Working up” a case usually involves months or even years of ongoing investigation. Once agents have gathered sufficient evidence, they may present it to our office where our office then decides if we can get an arrest warrant, a search warrant, or even an indictment.
As an intern, I have been working with several Assistant U.S. Attorneys on a few different ongoing investigations related to drug trafficking and possession/distribution of child pornography. Typically, I go through the evidence we have on file and then draft a prosecution memoranda. This document is then used to present to other attorneys in the office where they will discuss whether there is enough evidence to bring formal charges against a suspect.
It can be hard to believe that there are victims of these heinous crimes within the borders of our country, but I am grateful for the many agents and Assistant U.S. Attorneys who work daily to protect the American people. I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of the American people and fighting for justice on behalf of the victims of these crimes.