Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger officially announced his resignation as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the district, effective 11:59 p.m. on January 15, 2025. His resignation marks the close of U.S. Attorney Luger’s second stint as the top prosecutor and federal law enforcement executive in the state of Minnesota. He was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden and sworn in on March 30, 2022, as the 37th United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota. He was previously appointed by President Barack Obama and served as Minnesota’s United States Attorney from 2014 until 2017.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger said: “I have been honored to lead this office for the second time. In March 2022, I set us on the path to address violent crime to meet the challenge our community faced. I am so grateful to the people of this Office and our many law enforcement partners for the work we have done to bring violent criminals to justice. We have also taken aggressive action against child predators, for which I am proud.”
Under U.S. Attorney Luger’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritized the prosecution of crimes related to gun and gang violence, narcotics trafficking, child exploitation online, human trafficking and smuggling, and financial fraud and public corruption. Carrying out the U.S. Attorney’s violent crime initiative, the United States Attorney’s Office charged over 100 gang members, brought first ever RICO cases against Minneapolis gangs, charged 70 defendants in the Feeding Our Future scandal and charged 5 people with attempting to bribe a juror in the first Feeding Our Future trial. The Office brought charges against a defendant for an attempted arson at a Mosque, won a conviction in the sex trafficking case against Tony Lazzaro, and indicted a woman for s straw purchasing firearms used in fatal shooting of three first responders in Burnsville, Minnesota. U.S. Attorney Luger’s direction, the Office also revamped and expanded its work in Indian Country, opened an office in Duluth with the first-ever full-time federal prosecutor outside of the Metro and expanded its civil enforcement and investigation of civil rights cases.
U.S. Attorney Luger’s vision and innovative approach to combatting violent crime in the Twin Cities and beyond recently earned him commendation from the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association and the Minneapolis Police Department. Last September, U.S. Attorney Luger received an Honorary Award of Appreciation from the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for his “innovative strategy of both targeting those who are committing firearm violence and disrupting the supply of firearms to criminals in Minnesota” and support of the overall mission of the ATF.
U.S. Attorney Luger was also appointed by Attorney General Garland to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, and he chaired its Violent Crime Subcommittee, leading over 30 U.S. Attorney’s in developing and implementing innovative strategies to address violent crime around the nation.
Upon Mr. Luger’s resignation, Lisa D. Kirkpatrick, who currently serves as First Assistant United States Attorney, will become the Acting United States Attorney. Ms. Kirkpatrick is a veteran federal prosecutor who previously served as Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney and Appellate Chief.
“I thank President Biden for nominating me as United States Attorney, and Attorney General Garland for leading the Department and supporting the District of Minnesota during my tenure. I was privileged to work closely with Attorney General Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. It has been an honor to serve the American people,” U.S. Attorney Luger commented in closing.