The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has voted unanimously to keep Dominick S. Gerace II in place as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, a role in which he has served for the past 120 days on an interim basis. Following the end of his interim term, the court's appointment allows Gerace to continue in his position until the Senate confirms his nomination, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Brought into the interim role by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi in August, Gerace's permanent placement is pending, with President Donald J. Trump having nominated him for the job back in July. Running the office for what should have been a temporary period, the district court saw it fit for Gerace not to uproot the seeds he's been sowing for the Southern District of Ohio. In a statement obtained by the U.S. Department of Justice, Dominick S. Gerace II expressed his appreciation. "I am grateful to the district court for its vote of confidence in my leadership and honored to continue to serve as U.S. Attorney," he said.
In his capacity as U.S. Attorney, Gerace is the principal federal law enforcement official in Southern Ohio, overseeing federal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States in the district. This region accounts for the 48 southern-most counties in Ohio, a jurisdiction covering more than five million residents. On his team are approximately 100 staff members comprising prosecutors, civil litigators, and support personnel spread across offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton.
Before taking the helm as U.S. Attorney, Gerace had already established a formidable career. A former federal prosecutor, he held his ground in the trenches of high-stakes legal battles ranging from violent crime to public corruption. And it was from working on the federal investigation following the August 2019 mass shooting in Dayton that Gerace was recognized for excellence by receiving the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security. He was notably commended, during these busy days and long nights, for helping to bring to justice those who would seek to unravel the fabric of our security. Before rejoining the government sector, Gerace found success in private practice as a Partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, tackling white-collar criminal defense among other legal areas.
Gerace's commitment to the field is evidenced not only in his professional triumphs but also in his academic credentials. A Georgetown University law graduate, where he graduated magna cum laude and was chosen for the Order of the Coif, Gerace also served as a senior board member of The Georgetown Law Journal and helmed its Annual Review of Criminal Procedure as Editor-in-Chief. His background also includes time served as an officer in the United States Army and a clerkship under the Honorable John M. Rogers of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. These multidimensional experiences have shaped Gerace into the lawyer and leader he stands as today, tasked with upholding the law in Southern Ohio.
