U.S. Attorney Heekin praises 2025 accomplishments

Press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today a summary of significant accomplishments made by the Northern District of Florida in 2025. Highlighting the impact of his office’s work, U.S. Attorney Heekin emphasized his continued commitment to advance the priorities of the Department of Justice and protect our communities.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This past year was momentous for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida as we capably answered the calls to action by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi while fulfilling the vital mission of the Department of Justice. Through our work, we have demonstrated our unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the safety and well-being of our communities. Of course, we could not have succeeded without the close and lasting partnerships we have with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, which we will further strengthen in 2026 as we strive toward delivering safe streets for our residents.”

The federal case work performed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office is divided across three divisions: Criminal, Civil, and Appellate. More information about the Northern District of Florida’s varied responsibilities can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao/usao-ndfl/what-we-do.

The Criminal Division answered the call to action by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi through Operation Take Back America, which marshaled the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and human and drug trafficking. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida made significant strides to deliver justice for our communities poisoned by illegal drugs and plagued by criminal violence, including the following in calendar year 2025:

• 391 criminal defendants charged;
• 293 guilty pleas entered;
• 35 criminal jury trials conducted;
• 984 direct contacts with crime victims, and 9,818 written notifications issued to victims of crime.

The Civil Division represents the interests of the United States in civil litigation, defending federal agencies and workers sued in their official capacity and pursuing affirmative lawsuits to recover monies improperly or fraudulently taken from the federal government. The Division’s Financial Litigation Program also works to enforce criminal and civil monetary judgments and recover restitution owed to ensure criminal defendants do not profit from their crimes. Notable work performed by the Civil Division in 2025 included:

• Zealous representation of federal partners in the 53 newly filed defensive matters;
• Recovery of $1.7 million lost to false claims submitted to the U.S. Government through three settlements of Affirmative Civil Enforcement matters;
• $6.4 million in criminal money judgments collected;
• Nearly $4 million applied toward victim restitution through asset forfeiture restoration;
• More than $1 million distributed to state and local law enforcement partners through the Equitable Sharing Program.

The Appellate Division represents the interests of the United States in appeals filed in criminal cases to the 11^th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2025, the Appellate Division’s notable accomplishments included:

• 105 appeals filed, which included 93 criminal appeals and 12 civil appeals;
• 113 responses to post-conviction motions filed;
• 80 affirmances of District Court decisions in favor of the Government.

“The substantial accomplishments of 2025 are merely the foundation upon which we will build even greater achievements in 2026,” added U.S. Attorney Heekin. “President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have set forth ambitious expectations for the United States Attorneys’ Offices nationwide to deliver safe streets for our residents and rein in fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. The Northern District of Florida is prepared to meet the urgency of the moment. In 2026, we will remain tireless in our pursuit of justice on behalf of our citizens and committed to making the Northern District of Florida the absolute best – and safest – place in America to live, work, and raise a family.”