The Trump administration’s pick to be the top federal law enforcement officer in Alaska is a veteran financial crimes prosecutor who has worked in the Alaska U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2020.
Michael J. Heyman’s Friday appointment to be Alaska’s U.S. Attorney is pending Senate confirmation, and he will serve on an interim basis for 120 days until then, according to a Justice Department statement Monday.
Heyman has 24 years of legal experience and won the Department of Justice Director’s Award in 2023 for his prosecutorial work, the statement says.
Heyman’s predecessor, S. Lane Tucker, leaves the role in the wake of a scandal involving a federal judge – Joshua Kindred, who resigned in July – and two federal prosecutors with whom he allegedly had secret, inappropriate relationships.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, under Tucker’s leadership, was under investigation related to one of the prosecutor’s whistleblower complaint, until the Justice Department announced it had reached a settlement with her.
The Monday statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office did not mention Tucker, and a spokesperson later sent a prepared statement responding to questions about Tucker's employment.
Tucker resigned, effective Feb. 8, the statement says.
