Dayton, Ohio – Dominick S. Gerace II has officially taken the oath of office to serve as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, marking the beginning of his leadership as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the region. The swearing-in ceremony was held this afternoon in Cincinnati, where U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland administered the oath following Gerace’s appointment as interim United States Attorney by U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
In July, President Donald J. Trump nominated Gerace for the position, and his confirmation is still pending in the United States Senate.
Leading Federal Prosecutions Across Southern Ohio
As U.S. Attorney, Gerace will represent the United States in all federal criminal and civil cases within the Southern District of Ohio, which spans the 48 southernmost counties of the state and serves a population of more than five million people. He will lead a team of approximately 100 prosecutors, civil litigators, and support staff working out of offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Dayton.
“It is the honor of my lifetime to serve the people of Southern Ohio as United States Attorney, and I look forward to working closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect our communities and uphold the rule of law,” said United States Attorney Gerace. “I am extremely grateful for the trust that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed in me, and I thank Senators Moreno and Husted for their support in the confirmation process.”
A Career of Service and High-Profile Cases
Gerace brings nearly a decade of federal prosecution experience, having served in both the Southern District of Ohio and the Eastern District of Virginia. His work has spanned high-stakes cases involving national security, domestic and international terrorism, violent crime, international drug trafficking, public corruption, bank and wire fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.
He held the role of Deputy Criminal Chief in the Dayton office and earned national recognition for his service. Gerace received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security for his role in the investigation and prosecution following the August 2019 mass shooting in Dayton. He also earned the U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Performance for serving as counsel in the district’s first international terrorism trial.
Private Practice and Academic Achievements
Before returning to federal service, Gerace was a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, where his practice focused on white-collar criminal defense, government investigations, compliance, and civil litigation.
Gerace graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from Georgetown University Law Center. While in law school, he served as a senior board member of The Georgetown Law Journal and as Editor-in-Chief of its Annual Review of Criminal Procedure. After earning his law degree, he clerked for Judge John M. Rogers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Military Service and Early Career
Before entering law, Gerace earned an undergraduate degree in economics from the United States Military Academy. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army as a tank platoon leader and company executive officer, gaining leadership experience that would later inform his legal and prosecutorial career.
With his swearing-in complete, Gerace now takes charge of prosecuting federal crimes and representing the United States in civil matters across southern Ohio, aiming to continue a career defined by dedication to justice, national security, and public service.
