MEDIA ADVISORY-- U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Utah, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado to Hold 26th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference in Santa Fe, N.M.

ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah along with the U.S. Attorney’s offices for the Districts of New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona will host the 26^th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference at the Buffalo Thunder Hotel in Santa Fe, N.M., on Sept. 18-20, 2018. 

The annual conference, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and the U.S. Attorneys for the Districts of Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona, promotes a collaborative approach to addressing the needs of victims of crime in Indian Country in the Four Corners’ region.  In addition to representatives of the four U.S. Attorney’s Offices and other DOJ agencies, conference participants will include tribal leaders, victim advocates and social services providers, tribal judges and prosecutors, and law enforcement officers.

This annual conference, which is hosted by each of the four districts on a rotating basis, exemplifies the Justice Department’s commitment to addressing the high rates of victimization of our women and children in our Native communities.  The conference theme – “Exploring the Power of our Work: Building our Capacity to Assist Victims and Strengthening our Own Ability to be Resilient” – embodies what the Department of Justice is striving to achieve in Indian Country; helping victims overcome trauma, and preventing these crimes from reoccurring in the future.  The conference provides a forum for developing strategies for assisting victims of crime and tackling other serious public safety challenges confronting our Native communities.  It provides an opportunity for DOJ officials to hear from members of our Native communities about their needs and to work with them to address their unique challenges.

The opening session of the 26^th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, will be open press and will include welcoming remarks by Utah U.S. Attorney John W. Huber, New Mexico U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson, Colorado First Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kirsch and Arizona First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange.  The opening session on the second day of the conference on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2018, will also be open press and will include opening remarks from Jesse Panuccio, Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice.  Justice Department officials will be available for interviews at the conclusion of the opening sessions.

WHO:            

Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio of the Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney John W. Huber for the District of Utah

U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson for the District of New Mexico

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kirsch for the District of Colorado

Fist Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange for the District of Arizona

WHAT:         

Opening sessions of the 26^th Annual Four Corners Indian Country Conference

WHEN:         

TUESDAY, SEPT. 18, 2018, 1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 19, 2018, 8:30 A.M. – 9:00 A.M.

WHERE:      

Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder

20 Buffalo Thunder Trail

Santa Fe, N.M., 87506

OPEN PRESS

NOTE:  All media must present government-issued photo ID (such as driver’s license) as well as valid media credentials.  Inquiries regarding logistics should be directed to Alyssa Ferda at 505-366-1463 or alyssa.ferda@usdoj.gov.