U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah Announces Appointment of First Assistant U.S. Attorney

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak announced that Jacob J. Strain has been appointed to serve as First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Utah. Mr. Strain, a career prosecutor, has served as an attorney with the Department of Justice for more than 17 years.

"Mr. Strain has an unflinching commitment to the pursuit of justice," said U.S. Attorney Holyoak for the District of Utah. "His broad experience prosecuting a wide variety of criminal matters makes him an incredible resource to the office. I want to extend profound thanks to Felice Viti who served in this position with distinction and whose decades of experience were invaluable during the office's transition."

As a career prosecutor, Mr. Strain has extensive experience working collaboratively with federal, state, and local partners. He has investigated and prosecuted many different federal criminal violations such as drug trafficking, robbery, identity theft, felony firearm possession, arson, threats, assault, bribery, perjury, contempt, obstruction, counterfeiting, immigration, antitrust conspiracy, and almost every variety of fraud (securities, health care, mortgage, tax, mail, wire, bank, procurement, program, etc).

"I am deeply humbled by this appointment and the faith that U.S. Attorney Holyoak has placed in me," said Strain. "My only aim is to pursue justice, to preserve the safety and freedom of my fellow Utahns, and to fulfill my oath to the Constitution of the United States."

Mr. Strain has previously served as Chief of the Criminal Division, a Special DOJ Attorney appointed under 28 U.S.C. § 515, Senior Litigation Counsel, Chief of the Securities Fraud Section, and Grand Jury Supervisor. He was hired through the Department of Justice Honors Program with the Antitrust Division, Dallas Field Office and worked as a Special AUSA in the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. Mr. Strain graduated from Brigham Young University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and graduated magna cum laude from J. Reuben Clark Law School, where he was an editor on the BYU Journal of Public Law, BYU Education and Law Journal, and BYU Law Review.