Dennis Pfannenschmidt became the interim U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania after Martin C. Carlson resigned Saturday, according to a news release from the office today.
Carlson, a Bush holdover, began as interim U.S. Attorney for the office in May 2001. He is leaving to become a U.S. magistrate judge in Harrisburg, Pa., The Times Leader reported.
Carlson oversaw a corruption probe in Luzerne County that led to charges against two former county judges for taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to sentence youth offenders to a for-profit rehabilitation center. The probe also snared two high-ranking county court officials, a prominent attorney, three public school officials and a sewer authority employee.
Pfannenschmidt is a 20-year veteran of the office. He has held numerous leadership positions in the office, serving most recently as the civil division chief.
Pfannenschmidt will serve until the Senate confirms a replacement nominated by President Obama. A Pennsylvania nominating commission has reached an agreement on several U.S. Attorney candidates for Sens. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) to recommend to the White House. But the panel hasn’t divulged names yet. Read our previous report here.
