Attorney General Recognizes Hawaii Attorney

HONOLULU – Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Kenneth M. Sorenson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Hawaii and Senior Trial Attorney (STA) Robert E. Wallace of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice were two of 243 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Attorney General Eric Holder and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson at the 30th annual Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.

The District of Hawaii was one of 44 districts represented at the ceremony which was held in the Great Hall at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.

In his prepared remarks to awardees, Attorney General Holder said, “Locally, nationally, and internationally, you represent the very best that this Department has to offer. Your work embodies our ongoing commitment – not merely to win cases, but to do justice; to protect our fellow citizens from crime, violence, and terrorism; to empower the most vulnerable among us; and to uphold the rule of law.”

EOUSA Director Monty Wilkinson echoed those sentiments, saying to the recipients, “You have persevered, and remained focused and motivated – achieving remarkable results in work that makes a difference in the lives of citizens across our great country. The vast scope of your collective accomplishments is nothing short of exceptional.”

AUSA Sorenson and STA Wallace are recognized for their excellence in prosecuting Noshir Gowadia, a bellwether case for the Department of Justice. Gowadia, an engineer who participated in the development of the B-2 “stealth” bomber for the United States, assisted the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the design and testing of a stealthy cruise missile. He also communicated national defense and classified information to the PRC. After a four-month trial in United States District Court in Honolulu, Gowadia was convicted of conspiracy to design and test a stealthy cruise missile for the PRC, multiple espionage violations, tax fraud, and money laundering. On January 24, 2011, Chief District Judge Susan Oki Mollway sentenced Gowadia to 32 years in prison. The conviction and sentence were affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on July 28, 2014.

Florence T. Nakakuni, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, said that the challenges facing AUSA Sorenson and STA Wallace in presenting the Gowadia case were remarkably complex and daunting. Hundreds of classified documents, facts and critical design concepts underlying one of our nation's most critical defense capabilities, stealth, were either required to prove the elements of the multiple espionage counts, or were designated as necessary evidence by the defense. The proof required complex classified engineering, military and classification concepts to be presented in an understandable fashion.

EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.