Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Collyer and Chelsea Rice honored at Director's Awards ceremony

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Collyer and Chelsea Rice were one of 179 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director Monty Wilkinson at the 33rd Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.

The Northern District of Ohio was one of 35 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, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told the awardees: “These 179 award recipients embody the best of the Department of Justice…Today’s honorees have earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, you have earned the gratitude of your fellow citizens — whose communities you have made safer, whose lives you have improved, and whose trust you have rewarded. ”

Collyer and Rice were honored for their prosecution of Dr. Harold Persaud, a Westlake cardiologist currently serving 20 years in prison. Persaud was convicted following a jury trial of health care fraud for performing unnecessary catheterizations, tests, stent insertions and causing unnecessary coronary artery bypass surgeries as part of a scheme to overbill Medicare and other insurers by $29 million.

“Mike and Chelsea’s work in this case exemplifies the best of our office,” Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja said. “They worked tirelessly to not only to hold Dr. Persaud accountable for his crimes, but also to bring justice to his victims.”

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.