Source: Office of United States Attorneys
The U.S. Attorney’s Office collected $1,996,578.60 in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2024. Of this amount, $1,740,383.23 was collected in criminal actions and $256,195.37 was collected in civil actions.
All U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting on civil and criminal debts owed to the United States, and for restitution owed to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid out to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
In the District of Wyoming, collection efforts are conducted through the U.S. Attorney’s Office Financial Litigation Program (FLP). The program is under the direct supervision of the Civil Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office; however, the Civil and Criminal Divisions work together to pursue effective recovery for crime victims.
Civil Chief, Levi Martin, stated, “This office is committed to aggressive collection efforts for fraud committed against the United States and for restitution owed to the victims of criminal cases. The FLP is rather efficient in locating debtors and their assets in order to satisfy the judgment amounts they owe as a result of their unlawful actions.”
One case example of a large recovery from 2024 is Defendant William Dean Decker (Case No. 1:24-cr-00028-SWS). Decker was convicted of one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Decker was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment, $139,701.55 in restitution, and a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act. As a result of the diligent efforts of the FLP and Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered the entire $144,901.55 owed under the judgment within fourteen days of its imposition.