U.S. Attorney: Dassin Up, Petrillo Back

The pending departure of Cathy Seibel, the Deputy U.S. Attorney for the Southern District who is awaiting confirmation for a Federal judgeship, has led to the elevation of a veteran prosecutor and the return of another one who has been in private practice in recent years.

Lev Dassin, who has spent a decade in the office spread over two separate tenures, will step up from Chief of its Criminal Division - which he has headed since September 2005 - to replace Ms. Seibel.

Former Aide Returns

He in turn is being succeeded by Guy Petrillo, who served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division and the office's Chief of Narcotics and Chief Appellate Attorney during his first stint with the Southern District, which ended in August 1997 when he entered private practice. Most recently he has been a partner with Dechert LLP.

Ms. Seibel, who has spent more than 20 years in the U.S. Attorney's Office, will serve as First Assistant U.S. Attorney while awaiting confirmation as a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Garcia said in a statement.