Sean Berry retires as US Attorney for Northern District of Iowa after 32 years of federal service

After more than 30 years with the Department of Justice, the top federal prosecutor in northern Iowa is hanging up his briefcase.

Sean Berry joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Iowa in 1999 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and in the decades since has served stints as first assistant and chief of the criminal division for the office, which is based in Cedar Rapids and is responsible for all federal cases in the northern half of the state. He has led the office since February 2021, when U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan Jr. stepped down following the inauguration of President Joe Biden.

The district announced Berry's retirement Monday, effective the same day. Berry declined to comment through a spokesperson for the district.

A 1987 graduate of Northwestern University Pritzker Law School, Berry began his federal career after two years of private practice. He spent 10 years with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles, where he was chief of the major frauds section and prosecuted white-collar crimes, including a fraud case of more than $100 million against executives from United Press International and Financial News Network.

Since coming to Iowa, Berry has continued to focus on complex fraud as well as child exploitation cases.

Previously:Acquitted in 2017, Cedar Rapids man sentenced to 140 years in prison on federal child sex charges

"Representing the United States for more than 30 years has been a great honor,” Berry said in a statement, singling out the Northern District of Iowa attorneys and staff for particular praise. "Their deep commitment to the Department of Justice’s mission is demonstrated in everything they do."

Although never presidentially nominated, Berry has repeatedly served as U.S. Attorney or Acting U.S. Attorney. Under federal law, the Attorney General can appoint a U.S. Attorney if none is nominated after a certain period. In this case, Berry served as Acting U.S. Attorney from Feb. 17 to Dec. 13, 2021, at which time Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed him to the office.

Through his first year in office, Biden has not named a nominee for either of the U.S. Attorney positions in Iowa.

With Berry's departure, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Duax will serve as Acting U.S. Attorney. According to the spokesperson, Duax has been with the district for 14 years, including 13 years as Sioux City branch chief, and before that spent four years in the District of Arizona.

From January 2021, on the southern district of Iowa:Richard Westphal appointed as Acting U.S. Attorney following Marc Krickbaum's resignation

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com, 715-573-8166 or on Twitter at @DMRMorris.