U.S. Attorney Vassallo Announces Retirement

After 29 years of service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming, U.S. Attorney Nicholas Vassallo announced that he is retiring from the Department of Justice on May 31. Vassallo began his career with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1995 as a Civil Assistant U.S. Attorney. He served as the office’s Civil Division Chief from 2009 until 2021, when he was appointed First Assistant U.S. Attorney. He became Acting U.S. Attorney in July 2022, and in January 2023, he was appointed to the position of U.S. Attorney by Chief District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl.

As U.S. Attorney, he was considered the chief federal law enforcement officer in Wyoming, responsible for overseeing all federal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States within the district. During his term, notable criminal cases handled by his office include the prosecution for the arson of the Wellspring Health Access Clinic in Casper and the conviction of a Wyoming physician for unlawfully distributing large quantities of opioids without any legitimate medical need. Vassallo was instrumental in the creation of the Wind River Tribal Community Re-entry Court, a program intended to reduce criminal recidivism on the Wind River Indian Reservation.

On June 1, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann will become the Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming.