Zachary T. Lee, Taking Office, Virginia 2024

ABINGDON, Va.

In a move that has left the Western District of Virginia reeling, First Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee has been tapped to serve as the Acting United States Attorney for the district, effective December 21, 2024, at 12:00 a.m.

The move comes after United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh announced his resignation earlier this year, paving the way for Lee to assume the office under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, 5 U.S.C § 3345.

For two decades, Zach Lee has served the Western District of Virginia with honor, distinction, and dedication as an Assistant United States Attorney, Criminal Chief, and most recently as First Assistant United States Attorney.

"There is nobody more qualified to serve in this role, and I look forward to watching the United States Attorney’s Office continue to thrive and serve the citizens of the Western District of Virginia under his leadership," United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today.

"In my role as the First Assistant United States Attorney, I’ve had the privilege to work side-by-side with Chris Kavanaugh on our district’s most pressing matters," Mr. Lee said today.

"We are sad to see Chris leave the Western District after more than a decade of service, but I promise to keep the men and women who work here focused on the priorities he’s put in place: Keeping our District safe, ensuring civil rights, reducing gun violence, and leading complex white collar investigations and prosecutions."

Mr. Lee, 48, has served the government since joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia in 2005 as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, transitioning to an Assistant United States Attorney in 2007.

During his tenure, Mr. Lee has prosecuted complex narcotics, public corruption, firearms, and other criminal matters.

Prior to his employment with the government, Mr. Lee served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Bristol, Virginia, and as a law clerk to the Honorable James P. Jones, United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia.

He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming College of Law, Laramie, Wyoming, and a Bachelor of Arts from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia.

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