The man who served as First Assistant under former U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite has been named as the acting U.S. Attorney for the New Orleans area.
Duane Evans joined the office in 2000 and served as Chief of the Criminal Division from November 2012 to November 2015.
A native of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, he received his law degree from Loyola University in 1995 and later worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office from 1998 to 2000.
Polite announced his resignation Friday at the request of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He had planned to remain in the post until March 24, but the Justice Department asked Polite and 45 other holdover U.S. Attorneys to leave immediately.
The President is expected to name permanent replacements for those who resigned after the Justice Department consults with U.S. Senators from the states where openings now exist.