Department of War assigns 20 Military Lawyers to serve as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Memphis

“The Memphis Safe Task Force has created momentum in reducing violent crime, and the arrival of these Special Assistant United States Attorneys means progress made on the streets will continue in the courtroom. They will ensure prosecutions keep pace with the surge and justice is served, resulting in sustained positive change for Memphis.” – U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller, Western District of Tennessee

Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, is pleased to announce the temporary assignment of twenty (20) military lawyers from the Department of War to serve as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) to support the White House “Restoring Law and Order in Memphis” Presidential Action issued on September 15, 2025.

The SAUSAs are Judge Advocates (JAGs) detailed from all four branches of the armed forces and will be assigned to prosecute federal cases referred by the Memphis Safe Task Force, which was established by Presidential Order with the objective to end street and violent crime in Memphis to the greatest possible extent through the promotion and facilitation of hypervigilant policing, aggressive prosecution, complex investigations, financial enforcement, and large-scale saturation of besieged neighborhoods.

The JAG SAUSAs are deployed from states all over the country, and many have prior federal and state prosecutorial experience as well as litigation practice backgrounds. Members of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee provided foundational federal prosecution training, as well as district-specific rules and information for the SAUSAs at the Department of Justice National Advocacy Center in November.

Thus far during the Memphis Safe Task Force (MSTF) operational period from October 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee has charged a total of 195 defendants, including 136 by criminal complaint and 141 by indictment. Our office has also reviewed, approved, and issued over 130 search warrants and has accepted 99.4% of the cases referred for federal prosecution through the Virtual Command Center (VCC) from the MSTF.

Those numbers include a total of 14 defendants charged with Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Federal Law Enforcement Officers under 18 U.S.C. § 111. Other federal charges filed include: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), Unlawful Possession of a Machinegun under 18 U.S.C. § 922(o), Hobbs Act Robbery under 18 U.S.C. § 1951, Carjacking under 18 U.S.C. § 2119, Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute under 21 U.S.C. § 841, Child Exploitation offenses under 18 U.S.C. § 2251, and Possession of a Firearm in furtherance of a Crime of Violence or Drug Trafficking Crime under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).

A comparison of cases indicted and defendants charged for the same period in 2024 and 2025 reveals the following:

From October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee filed a total of 35 indictments charging a total of 37 defendants. During the MSTF operational period thus far from October 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee has filed a total of 111 indictments charging a total of 141 defendants. This represents a 217.14% increase in cases indicted and a 281.08% increase in defendants charged.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “Our office is committed to supporting the work of the MSTF by responsive and aggressive federal prosecution of cases involving offenders who pose a significant risk to public safety, to effectively punish, incapacitate, and deter criminal conduct and reduce violent crime. This coordination and personnel-sharing between the Department of Justice and the Department of War is unprecedented and comes at a time when federal prosecutorial resources are most needed due to increased court dockets caused by the outstanding work of the MSTF. I am thankful to the Armed Forces leadership for their commitment to bringing the skill and dedication of America’s service members to deliver justice, restore order, and protect the people of Memphis.”