U.S. Attorney Avery, during her August 2022 "investiture" ceremony at Career. The state’s top federal prosecutor will be stepping down from her post three days before President-elect Donald Trump officially returns to office.U.S. Attorney Vanessa Avery announced her coming resignation in a Monday morning press release.That press release states that Avery — who has served as Connecticut’s top federal prosecutor since April 2022, when she was nominated by President Joe Biden and then confirmed by the U.S. Senate — will resign effective Jan. 17. The press release does not note that Trump will be inaugurated as president, again, on Jan. 20. The president is responsible for appointing each U.S. attorney.Avery will be replaced by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc H. Silverman, who will serve as acting U.S. attorney upon Avery’s departure. See below for Monday’s full press release, which details the Newhallville native and Career High grad’s accomplishments during her tenure as U.S. attorney.U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery Announces ResignationNew Haven – United States Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery today announced that she will resign from the Office effective at 11:59 p.m. on January 17.“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as United States Attorney, and I am profoundly appreciative of President Biden for trusting me to serve our nation and the people of Connecticut in this position,” said Ms. Avery. ​“I have been especially honored to lead an office of extremely talented public servants who are dedicated to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism and committed to the cause of justice. Together, we have employed collaborative, data and intelligence-driven strategies to make our communities safer and ensure justice for all who live in our state. We have done the hard work of engaging the community alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, contributing to declining violent crime rates and opioid overdose deaths. I am confident that this Office will continue to make Connecticut a safe place to live, and have a positive impact in our communities.”Ms. Avery was appointed by President Biden after confirmation by the United States Senate and sworn in as the 54th U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut on May 9, 2022. Under Ms. Avery’s leadership, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prioritized the prosecution of crimes related to gun and gang violence, firearms trafficking, narcotics and counterfeit opioid pill trafficking, child exploitation, human trafficking and smuggling, financial frauds,public corruption, cybercrime, and national security issues. In addition, the Office’s Civil Division has aggressively pursued health care fraud violators, achieved numerous disability rights settlements, and recovered millions of dollars through forfeiture actions. In Fiscal Year 2023, the Office recovered more than $233 million in criminal and civil actions, which ranked third in the nation among all U.S. Attorney’s Offices.As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Avery has stressed the Office’s community engagement, particularly through its HEAT and Fed-Up programs, as a critical component to reducing drug addiction, overdose deaths, and violent criminal behavior. In addition, she has spearheaded civil rights and hate crimes prevention through United Against Hate presentations across Connecticut. United Against Hate has raised community awareness about hate crimes, hate incidents, and discrimination, and is building bridges between law enforcement and community, ethnic, and religious groups, particularly those with members who have been reluctant to contact law enforcement for help.Prior to her appointment as U.S. Attorney, Ms. Avery served as the Associate Attorney General and Chief of the Division of Enforcement and Public Protection at the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. From 2014 to 2019, Ms. Avery was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Civil Division in this District, prosecuting a variety of complex civil fraud cases under the False Claims Act, asset forfeiture cases, environmental violations, civil rights matters, and defending Bivens and medical malpractice cases. From 2006 to 2014, Ms. Avery was a litigation attorney at McCarter & English LLP, where she focused on business and financial litigation, intellectual property, trust and probate, and product liability cases. From 2003 to 2005, Ms. Avery was a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Civil Division in Washington, D.C. From 1999 to 2003, she was an attorney in the Hartford Trial Group at Cummings & Lockwood LLC. Ms. Avery is a graduate of Yale University and the Georgetown University Law Center.Marc H. Silverman, who has served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney since May 2024, will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney upon Ms. Avery’s departure. Mr. Silverman joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2010. From 2014 to 2022, he served as Deputy Chief of the Office’s Appellate Division, and from 2022 to May 2024, he was Chief of the Criminal Division. Mr. Silverman is a graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School.Mr. Silverman will be the 55th U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, an office that was established in 1789. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is in excellent hands,” said Ms. Avery. ​“Marc and the Office’s superb supervisory team have the highest professional and ethical standards and, together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will ensure that the administration of justice will seamlessly continue in our District.”The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately 54 staff members at offices in New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport.For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, please visit www.justice.gov/ct.