President-elect Donald Trump on Monday tapped Nassau County Judge Joseph Nocella Jr. as his pick to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Nocella will replace Breon Peace, who announced last month he’ll step down from the job as top federal prosecutor covering Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island on Jan. 10 — just days before Trump’s inauguration. President Biden appointed Peace for the spot in 2021. “Judge Nocella has a strong record of bringing Law and Order to the incredible people of New York, serving as a Nassau County District Court Judge, and Family Court Judge,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Monday night, announcing the pick. Nocella earned his bachelor’s degree from Fordham University, where Trump also studied before transferring to the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and later graduated from Columbia Law School, Newsday has reported. He began his legal career in private practice working in litigation in both New York and Los Angeles. From 1991 to 1995, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District’s criminal division. Returning to local government after his federal tenure, Nocella worked in various legal roles in Nassau County, serving as the Hempstead town attorney from 2021 to 2022, and as chief of staff to the Hempstead town supervisor from 2020 to 2022, according to Newsday. He was also the Oyster Bay town attorney from 2017 to 2020, according to Newsday. In addition, he held positions as counsel to Nassau County’s Office of Housing and Community Development and as a counsel to the county executive and legislature. His most recent post was as a Nassau County District Court judge in November 2022.