Deputy Attorney General Recognizes Southern District of Florida Assistant U.S. Attorneys

Maurice Johnson, Kimberly A. Selmore, and Edward N. Stamm of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida were among 172 members of the Department of Justice recognized by Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, and Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) Director James Crowell, IV at the 35th Director’s Awards Ceremony today in Washington D.C.

The Southern District of Florida was one of 31 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 Jeffrey Rosen addressed the recipients and guests, saying, “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.” 

In his remarks, EOUSA Director James Crowell told the recipients, “The Department of Justice is in truth a deployed force.  Your work isn’t easy, but it is vital to the functioning and enduring nature of our democracy.  As federal prosecutors, we are held to a higher standard, a standard that requires us to ensure that we uphold the rule of law and the fundamental rules of fairness in every trial, every settlement, every plea, and every legal argument in which we are involved.”

Senior Litigation Counsel Edward Stamm and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Selmore and Maurice Johnson were recognized for their outstanding work in the investigation and prosecution of a widespread municipal corruption ring victimizing the city of Opa Locka, Florida. A working class city in Miami-Dade County, Opa Locka has long been plagued by a tight-knit group of corrupt elected and appointed officials. These officials enriched themselves at the expense of the city’s residents and small business owners. Law enforcement authorities began a proactive investigation in 2014 using a wide range of techniques to gather evidence. In 2016, the investigation culminated in the execution of a search warrant on Opa Locka City Hall. The investigation expanded, resulting in the conviction and imprisonment of numerous individuals on corruption charges. The convicted individuals included an elected City Commissioner, Opa Locka’s City Manager, Assistant Public Works Director, the Mayor’s son and the acknowledged power broker in the city.

            “Senior Litigation Counsel Edward Stamm and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Selmore and Maurice Johnson are career prosecutors who uphold the highest standards of the Department of Justice,” said Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.  “The cases for which they are being recognized exemplify their dedication to justice.  Mr. Stamm, Ms. Selmore, and Mr. Johnson worked tirelessly to root out corruption by the officials who betrayed the trust of the community they served.  The City of Opa Locka is safer today because of the efforts of these prosecutors.”

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.