Associated Press Published

Federal Prosecutor in West Virginia Stepping Down

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The top federal prosecutor responsible for the northern district of West Virginia says he will resign at year’s end.

U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, appointed six years ago by Democratic President Barack Obama, says he’ll return to private law practice.

Republican President-elect Donald Trump is expected to choose his own slate of top federal prosecutors around the nation, though some may stay on.

Ihlenfeld says his office’s prosecutions have disrupted drug rings trafficking into West Virginia, convicted doctors improperly prescribing painkillers and uncovered highway bid rigging.

Others cases stopped embezzlements, health care frauds, bank money laundering and excessive use of force by authorities and resulted in numerous convictions for interstate domestic violence, stalking and illegal gun possession by domestic abusers.

He says his office’s litigators recovered nearly $50 million on behalf of victims.