The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio honored employees for their exceptional work during the 2025 calendar year, according to an April 28 announcement. The recognition took place at the office’s annual USAO Awards ceremony held on April 17.
These awards highlight the importance of public service and dedication within federal law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio is responsible for promoting community safety and protecting residents through outreach and victim services across northern Ohio, according to the official website.
United States Attorney David M. Toepfer said, “Each year, we recognize a special group of employees for their exceptional achievements. The contributions of these men and women—whether behind the scenes or in the courtroom—are critical in executing our mission to protect the public by aggressively enforcing the law.” Toepfer added, “These recognitions signify our deep appreciation for their hard work and dedication to serving our office, and to the people of Northern Ohio.”
Awards were given across several divisions including administrative, criminal, and civil areas. Robert Corts received the Career Achievement Award; Joseph Czerwien was named Attorney of the Year; Elliot Morrison earned Supervisor of the Year; Karen Vesely received Support Staff Career Achievement; while Andrew Hejl, Tina Tennant, Ekaterina Marceta, and Kristen Eder were recognized with Support Excellence awards in various categories. Teams were also honored: Project Safe Childhood prosecution team received Excellence in Criminal Advocacy; a litigation team led by Kimberly Lubrani won Excellence in Civil Advocacy; and a group working on cryptocurrency/cybercrime cases earned Merit Awards.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is recognized as both chief federal law enforcement office under the Department of Justice according to its official website, enforcing federal criminal laws related to national security and public corruption while defending civil suits against the United States according to its official website. It covers forty northern counties in Ohio according to its official website with offices located in Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, and Youngstown according to its official website. The office collaborates with schools and law enforcement agencies on community safety initiatives according to its official website.
Looking ahead, information about career opportunities with this office can be found at usajobs.gov or through additional resources listed on justice.gov/usao-ndoh.
