Former Brookhaven Town Supervisor Mark Lesko became the top federal prosecutor for Long Island on Friday when his predecessor stepped down less than a year after being appointed by the Trump administration.
Seth DuCharme, a prosecutor who was a rising star under former U.S. Attorney General William Barr, announced on March 8 that he gave his two-weeks notice after being appointed in July as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. DuCharme and Lesko, a longtime federal prosecutor who founded the nonprofit Accelerate Long Island after his three terms as town supervisor, worked together on the transition.
“I am now thrilled to be spending more time with my family, and to transitioning thoughtfully and successfully into private practice,” said DuCharme, who touted his creation of The Bank Integrity Task Force and expansion of the Rapid and Strategic Prosecution Initiative, which allows for crime data to be used more efficiently.
The Eastern District of New York prosecutes federal crimes in Nassau and Suffolk counties as well as Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.
Lesko, who was first assistant U.S. Attorney for the district before taking over, will serve in an acting capacity until the Biden administration names a replacement.
