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Newsmaker: Erek L. Barron, US Attorney for the District of MD

Erek L. Barron was appointed by President Biden in 2021 as the 49th US Attorney for the District of Maryland. He is the first African American to serve as the top federal law enforcement official in the state. He previously served six years as a MD Delegate and was a State's Attorney for Prince George's County and Baltimore City. (official photo)
Erek L. Barron was appointed in 2021 by President Biden, and unanimously confirmed by the Senate, as the 49th US Attorney for the District of Maryland. He is the first African American to serve as the top federal law enforcement official in the state. He previously served six years as a MD Delegate and was a State's Attorney for Prince George's County and Baltimore City. (official photo)

Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Erek L. Barron. He is the US Attorney for the District of Maryland, which makes him the chief federal law enforcement officer in our state. He supervises a staff of nearly 100 attorneys who investigate and prosecute national security threats, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, organized crime, gang violence, public corruption, cybercrime, financial and healthcare fraud and civil rights violations.

Prior to his appointment as US Attorney by President Biden last year, Barron served in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 24 for six years, and before that, he was a prosecutor in Prince George’s County and the State's Attorney in Baltimore City, with a focus on violent crime.

Mr. Barron is the first African American to hold the post of Maryland US Attorney, and the first Democrat to be nominated for the position in the last 20 years. By this time next month, several important offices at the state and local level will be held by newly elected Democratic officials. Anthony Brown will become the Maryland Attorney General. Wes Moore will become Governor. And Ivan Bates will be sworn in as Baltimore City State’s Attorney.

Coordination with these and other officials is key to addressing the scourge of violence that has plagued cities like Baltimore for years.

US Attorney Erek Barron joins Tom today in Studio A…

Maryland's US Attorney Erek Barron (center, at podium) speaks at an August 2022 public event announcing the School Zone Initiative, a community and youth safety program in Baltimore. Joining him was Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott (left) and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. (photo credit Patrick Siebert_Flickr/MDGovPics)
Maryland's US Attorney Erek Barron (center, at podium) speaks at an August 24, 2022 news conference in Baltimore announcing new federal resources to fight crime and improve community safety in the city and across Maryland, with programs such as the School Zone Initiative, which makes it a federal crime to carry a firearm within 1000 feet of a school. Joining him was Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott (left) and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, among other state and local officials. (photo credit Patrick Siebert via Flickr / MDGovPics)

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