John Shirts Appointed as United States Attorney for the District of Idaho

Boise - United States Attorney General Todd Blanche appointed John Shirts as United States Attorney for the District of Idaho, effective October 18, 2026. Shirts was sworn in as U.S. Attorney yesterday by U.S. Chief District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford in a private ceremony.

"I am honored to serve as Idaho's next U.S. Attorney," said Shirts. "Our office will remain focused on upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights of citizens by prosecuting terrorism, drug trafficking, violent crime, human trafficking, illegal immigration offenses, and fraud. The safety of Idahoans and their communities is paramount. Those who commit federal crimes in our state will be held accountable and brought to justice."

Shirts is a fifth-generation Idahoan who grew up in Weiser, Idaho. He most recently served as a State Representative in the Idaho Legislature, representing District 9. He served as the vice chair of the Agricultural Affairs Committee, and as a member of the Judiciary, Rules, and Administration Committee, and on the Revenue and Taxation Committee. From 2018 to 2024, Shirts served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Idaho, prosecuting criminal cases in both the Pocatello and Boise offices. Shirts is married to Mercedes Shirts, a high school teacher.

Shirts was raised working on his family's ranch. His great-great-grandfather homesteaded in Washington County in the 1880s. He attended Weiser High School and worked his way through the University of Idaho. After college, he graduated from the University of Colorado Law School. Shirts then clerked for the Honorable Jonathan P. Brody, an Idaho District Court judge in Rupert.

Following his clerkship, Shirts earned a commission in the U.S. Air Force as a JAG officer. During his active-duty service, he served in Korea as an adviser to the 51st Fighter Wing on Osan Air Base. Later appointed to the Air Force's Special Victims Unit (SVU), he prosecuted sexual assault cases at thirty Air Force bases around the world, from Germany to Hawaii. His military decorations include the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Korean Defense Service Medal. After leaving active service to join the U.S. Attorney's Office as an AUSA, he continued to serve as a prosecutor in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

As U.S. Attorney, Shirts serves as the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the state of Idaho, having prosecutorial responsibility over 44 counties in Idaho, encompassing more than 83,000 square miles and a population of nearly 1.5 million people. He leads three staffed offices located in Boise, Coeur d'Alene and Pocatello with 65 employees, including 33 attorneys. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to immigration, terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.

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