In a move by President Donald Trump’s administration, a seasoned lawyer with expertise in dealing with white-collar crime is now Alaska’s leading federal prosecutor. This development sidelines a Biden appointee who took the position in 2022. Michael J. Heyman was officially designated as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska on February 28 by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Heyman’s tenure as the U.S. Attorney is temporary, lasting for either a 120-day period or until a nominee of the President gets Senate confirmation. Heyman has been an integral part of the Alaska U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2020, with his major focus being the prosecution of financial crimes.
His legal career extends beyond Alaska, with previous assignments as a federal prosecutor in Southern California and legal consultancies for U.S. embassies in Nepal and Sri Lanka. Additionally, Heyman has experience working in the private legal arena as a partner at K&L Gates, an international law firm. There, his practice centered around commercial litigation and insolvency law.
In Alaska, Heyman has presided over some high-profile judicial cases. One example is the case of Garrett Elder, a man based in Anchorage who was found guilty for swindling more than $26 million from 177 victims through a fraudulent investment scheme. Another case involved Jessica Spayd, a nurse practitioner from Eagle River who ended up in prison after being convicted of prescribing lethal amounts of opioids, which unfortunately led to several fatalities.
Upon his appointment, Heyman expressed deep gratitude and humility to serve as Alaska’s leading federal prosecutor. He relayed his eagerness to bring to life the priorities of the new administration, with a shared vision to safeguard our communities and uphold the rule of law.
As part of his mandate, Heyman aims to focus efforts on curbing fraud, waste, and government abuse, while also zeroing in on dealers trafficking fentanyl. The goal of this endeavor is to cripple and ultimately dismantle the drug network that is currently terrorizing Alaskans.
Notably, Heyman has thrown his hat in the ring for a vacant federal judgeship position in Alaska. In a letter expressing his interest in the position earlier this year, he cited his quarter-century experience in the field of law.
Within the letter, Heyman detailed his extensive experience as a prosecutor in significant cases. Beyond white-collar and corruption crimes, these case profiles extended to matters involving violent crimes, oil and gas disputes, the rampant fentanyl crisis, and economic criminals in Alaska’s more remote regions.
Occupying the role of U.S. Attorney for Alaska before Heyman was Lane Tucker. His appointment had been made in 2022 by former President Joe Biden.