U.S. Attorney Glassman Awards Outstanding Performance Recognitions to District Employees

CINCINNATI – U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman recognized nine employees of the Southern District of Ohio in four categories for their distinguished public service in his second annual United States Attorney’s Awards in Outstanding Performance.

Outstanding Performance in Legal Support – Leah A. Gezinski

Ms. Gezinski’s support has enabled the Dayton office to successfully investigate and charge those trafficking heroin, fentanyl and other opioids.

“Ms. Gezinski has been invaluable in supporting some of the most labor-intensive investigations, particularly involving wiretaps,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “She worked tirelessly, and often at late or early hours, to ensure the success of wires that have been instrumental in charging and convicting opioid traffickers.”

Outstanding Performance by an Assistant United States Attorney – Heather A. Hill

Ms. Hill led three jury trials in the first four months of 2017 that arose from separate child-exploitation investigations.

In January, Thomas A. Sweeney was convicted of all counts, including production of child pornography, attempted coercion/enticement of a minor, receipt of child pornography and commission of a sex offense while registered as a sex offender. He was sentenced in July to serve 55 years in prison for the sex crimes, which involved a 14-year-old.

Joshua D. Chapman-Sexton was convicted of all counts in February. He was on supervised release when he committed the new offenses, which included receipt and possession of child pornography, and was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

In April, Shawn P. Parrish was also convicted of all counts, including receiving and possessing child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

“Assistant United States Attorneys are the best trial lawyers in the world, and no one performed as much or at a higher level in 2017 than Heather Hill,” Glassman said. “First chairing three jury trials in four months is a remarkable feat, and Ms. Hill’s accomplishment is all the more impressive because the defendants were charged with serious child-exploitation offenses, and she convicted them on every count.”

Outstanding Performance by a Litigative Team – Financial Litigation Unit

Assistant United States Attorney Bethany J. Hamilton, Paralegal Specialists Craig A. Black and Cloteal J. Turner, Legal Assistant Nicole Burczyk and Contract Paralegals Stephanie Crosson and Danielle DeLeon Spires were recognized for collecting more than $261 million in fiscal year 2017 – the highest total in the history of the Southern District of Ohio.

“The Financial Litigation Unit accomplished this new record for our District through 4,322 enforcement activities, close coordination with the Criminal and Civil divisions, and teamwork of the highest order,” Glassman said.

Outstanding Performance in Administration – Karen S. Stocker

As the District’s Budget Officer, Ms. Stocker handled a once-in-a-generation type of transition this past year to a new financial management system that was implemented in each U.S Attorney’s Office across the country. 

“Ms. Stocker has been an exemplary Budget Officer for the last decade, and this past year, she not only managed to accommodate within our budget expenses for ambitious investigations and litigation, but she also did so while transitioning to a new national financial management system,” Glassman said. “This transition was among the most significant in many years, but thanks to Ms. Stocker’s diligence and hard work, most litigators in our office probably didn’t even notice.”

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