Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr.
Newly appointed as the interim Top Federal Prosecutor for the District of Idaho, Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr. shall perform duties as the Acting United States Attorney, replacing the outgoing U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis. The Office’s adjustments are made in line with the transitioning of the Biden Administration into position, as mentioned by Acting U.S. Attorney General Robert M. Wilkinson in his speech last February 9, 2021. Wilkinson’s speech also covered the request of President Joe Biden for the remaining 55 Trump-appointed U.S. Attorneys to tender their resignations by the end of February. Such action is considered routine during administrative change. Rafael Gonzalez will officially take over as Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho on March 1, 2021.
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Appointment
A new Acting United States Attorney for the District of Idaho has been named. Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr. has been appointed as the interim Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official for the district, replacing the outgoing U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis by virtue of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act. Bart Davis announced his resignation on February 11, 2021, two days following the notification of the request of the Biden Administration for the remaining 55 Trump-appointed Top Federal Prosecutors to step down. Acting U.S. Attorney General Robert M. Wilkinson was the one who reported the request, noting that it was made in conjunction with the taking over of President-elect Joe Biden in the government. Rafael Gonzalez will assume office as Acting United States Attorney for the District of Idaho beginning on March 1, 2021. He shall hold the position for 300 days or up to the time that the Biden Administration has permanently fill up the position.
Educational Background and Bar Admission
Acting United States Attorney Rafael Gonzales is a graduate of the Michigan States University – James Madison College, earning his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations in 1983. He subsequently received his Juris Doctorate from the Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, Michigan, in 1987. Gonzales has been admitted to the State Bar of Michigan since 1987.
Legal Career
Prior to joining the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Idaho, Rafael Gonzalez Jr. was first an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Detroit, Michigan. He began his legal career in 1987. He also served primarily at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, joining the Department of Justice in 1991.
Having dedicated almost 35 years of his life to government service, U.S. Attorney Gonzalez has a depth and breadth of experience in public service. He devoted about 25 of those years to serving the District of Idaho, constantly working to improve prosecution efficiency in the Office, aiming to provide a safer environment for the citizens and prioritizing the relentless pursuit of justice. Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez first came into the Office as an Assistant United States Attorney in 1995 and spent the next two decades prosecuting a wide range of federal criminal violations, with emphasis on drug trafficking cases, immigration offenses, and violent crimes, among other general and regulatory matters. In 2005, U.S. Attorney Gonzalez was appointed as the Chief of the Criminal Division of the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Idaho. For approximately five years, until 2021, U.S. Attorney Gonzalez led the Criminal Division to enforce federal criminal laws and investigate and prosecute cases of federal violations. In between those years, in 2008, Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez was appointed to a two-year term to be a part of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Chief’s Working Group.
Succeeding the appointment of former U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson into being the Top Federal Prosecutor for the District of Idaho, Rafael Gonzalez Jr. was named as the First Assistant United States Attorney in September of 2010. Gonzalez was second-in-command to former U.S. Attorney Olson for about seven years, until her resignation last February 25, 2017, at which point Gonzalez assumed the Office’s leadership as the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Idaho under the Vacancies Reform Act. He held the position for approximately seven months until the successful appointment and nomination of the outgoing U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis in June of 2017.
Within their approximately three years of partnership and collaboration, now Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez and former U.S. Attorney Davis have been able to lead the Office in overcoming a series of tremendous challenges. On top of that, It was noted that the Office was able to successfully file over 1,000 criminal cases throughout the past three years, making history during their tenure. Under their leadership, the Office focused on targeting predators who took advantage of children, as well as emphasized the combat against the gang and drug trafficking and violations.
Awards and Memberships
Being an indispensable and collaborative law enforcement partner in Idaho, Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez has been given several honors and awards to recognize his tireless work. In 2018, he was presented with a Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney. His distinguished career includes being an incumbent Executive Board Member on the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and as a National Delegate for the Idaho Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. Acting U.S. Attorney Gonzalez is also a Senior Evaluator at the Executive Office of the U.S. Attorney’s Evaluation and Review Staff.
Office Jurisdiction
Currently, the incumbent Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for the District of Idaho, Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr., is responsible for overseeing and protecting the whole district, which encompasses 44 counties and five tribal reservations across the state. In addition, he shall lead a staff of approximately 60 in total, consisting of 30 talented Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 30 support personnel. Rafael Gonzalez shall also be in charge of managing all of the Office’s operations, including handling and supervising all of the federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigations within the district, in which the United States is a party. Furthermore, the Office shall collect all of the debts owed to the United States.
Contact Details
Full Name: Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr.
District/State: Idaho
Public email ID: N/A
Boise Branch Office
United States Attorney’s Office
1290 West Myrtle Street
Suite 500
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 334-1211
Main
(208) 334-9375
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Coeur d’Alene Branch Office
United States Attorney’s Office
6450 N. Mineral Drive, Suite 210
Coeur d’Alene, Id 83815
(208) 667-6568
Main
(208) 667-0814
Fax
Pocatello Branch Office
United States Attorney’s Office
801 E. Sherman, Suite 192
Pocatello, Id 83201
(208) 478-4166
Main
(208) 478-4175
Fax
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Updated: March 31, 2021