A. Lee Bentley III, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida, announced Monday that he will step down, effective immediately.
Bentley tendered his resignation to President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions and stepped down Monday, according to a release from the Department of Justice. Bentley was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2014.
“I have been privileged to serve with many of the finest lawyers in the country on criminal and civil matters of critical importance to the citizens of the Middle District of Florida. I am extremely grateful to my colleagues and to our partners in federal, state, and local law enforcement,” Bentley said, in part, in a statement.
Bentley had been an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of Florida since 2000. Previously, he’s held several positions, including serving as a special assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Florida, according to the release.
During Bentley’s time in the position, more than 4,200 cases were indicted and more than 5,500 defendants were charged in criminal conduct impacting the Middle District of Florida, according to the release.
The Middle District of Florida serves 35 of the 67 counties in Florida, including Manatee and Sarasota, which is over half the population of Florida, according to the Department of Justice.
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