Special to IFN
Russ Ferguson will lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office as the presidentially-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate on December 18.
Nominated by President Donald Trump, Ferguson took the oath of office, administered by U.S. District Court Judge Frank D. Whitney on December 24.
Ferguson was first appointed as interim U.S. Attorney by Attorney General Pamela Bondi on March 3, 2025, and sworn in on March 11, 2025. He was subsequently unanimously appointed to the position by all federal judges in this district effective June 30, 2025. He was then nominated by the President on July 30, 2025.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve the people of the Western District of North Carolina as their U.S. Attorney,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We are a district that punches above our weight — and we will continue to deliver justice that is tough, fair, and focused on keeping our communities safe. I am grateful to the president for his trust and to the U.S. Senate for my confirmation. I will continue to approach this responsibility with integrity and accountability.”
As the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Western District of North Carolina, U.S. Attorney Ferguson oversees federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation on behalf of the United States. He leads an office of nearly 100 federal prosecutors and professional staff serving 32 counties across western North Carolina, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians — the largest federally recognized tribe east of the Mississippi — and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the most-visited national park in the nation.
Since taking office, U.S. Attorney Ferguson has:
♦ Increased prosecutions by implementing Operation Take Back America to dismantle gang and cartel networks operating in Western North Carolina and target drug-induced violence and large-scale drug trafficking networks.
♦ Strengthened partnerships with law enforcement to increase prosecutions of convicted felons in possession of illegal firearms, repeat offenders, and those drivers of violent crime.
♦ Expanded outreach to nonprofit organizations and community advocates to enhance crime prevention strategies, education, and engagement through partnerships in rural counties.
♦ Expanded protections for vulnerable populations by prioritizing cases involving older adults and children.
♦ Prioritized recouping public dollars and protecting government-funded programs from fraud through increased criminal prosecutions and civil enforcement actions.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson brings more than 16 years of legal experience to the office. He began his career as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, where he tried 28 cases to verdict, and served as Legislative Counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Prior to returning to public service, he was a partner at Womble Bond Dickinson and led the firm’s complex litigation group, handling high-profile civil and criminal matters in courtrooms and arbitration tribunals around the world.
A Duke University graduate, Ferguson earned his law degree and Master of Laws from Georgetown University Law Center. He clerked for Judge Frank D. Whitney of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.