U.S. Attorney Charles Peeler: We are open for business

ALBANY — After 13 years with the Albany law firm Flynn+Peeler+Phillips, Charles Peeler has moved onto a bigger stage after taking on the role of U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.

From that platform, he said he intends to raise public awareness of the office.

“It’s been great,” Peeler said a little more than two weeks after taking the position. “It has been everything I hoped it would be.”

As U.S. Attorney, Peeler is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official for the district, which includes Albany, Athens, Columbus, Macon and Valdosta. He oversees a staff of 74 employees, including 28 attorneys and 46 non-attorney support personnel. Peeler’s office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, firearms and narcotics.

The office also defends the federal government in civil cases and collects debts owed to the U.S., Peeler’s biography states.

During his time in the new role, although brief, Peeler said he has been able to see that the position allows for immediate impact in the fight against drug and gun crime, as well as the fight against the ongoing opioid epidemic.

“(We are) investigating and prosecuting those responsible for over-, and unlawful, prescription of opioids,” he said.

Peeler described the process of getting his new job as the “world’s longest job interview.” It started shortly after last year’s presidential election and involved candidacy interviews with a committee including Georgia U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and David Perdue, an interview with the Department of Justice, nomination by President Trump and confirmation by the U.S. Senate.

“To be nominated is an incredible honor,” he said. “The longer I am in this job, the more fortunate I feel to be in the Department of Justice.

“I feel honored, humble and fortunate. The Middle District of Georgia is phenomenal. Even more phenomenal is the state and local agencies we work with.”

The building of partnerships with such agencies, Peeler said, is important in his office’s mission to make neighborhoods safer.

“We absolutely depend on the work of the state and local agencies,” he said.

In the coming months, the U.S. Attorney said he intends to build on the partnerships already in place and to make sure the public is aware of what the office does, in turn raising its profile.

When discussing crime, like any other law enforcement official Peeler offered the oft-repeated the line: “If you see something, say something.”

“We are open for business,” he said. “(Going forward) I want to see a quantifiable reduction in violent crime in our district. The sooner the better.”

The partnership aspect is a piece of the job Peeler said he has liked being engaged in.

“I have really enjoyed meeting law enforcement in federal agencies, to meeting county sheriffs and their deputies and local police,” Peeler said. “Everyone has a shared goal, and that is to make the community safer.”

As part of his community awareness effort, Peeler said he intends to go out into the communities within the Middle District often. Those communities cover 70 of the state’s 159 counties. For instance, since being sworn in last month, he has spoken at an opioid awareness meeting in Macon and spoke at an event announcing a grant for the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and Middle Georgia State University aimed at reducing violent gun and gang crime.

“The more opportunities I have to go to events like that, I will (attend those events),” Peeler said.

The new U.S. Attorney said he has no intention on turning his back on Albany. In fact, even with the bulk of his staff in Macon, he said he intends to remain based out of Albany.

“Albany is my home,” he said. “I think Albany is a great place to have a home and raise a family. I will be based here but will spend a significant amount of time in Macon and Columbus.”

Peeler was nominated by President Trump on Aug. 3 to become the district’s U.S. Attorney. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Nov. 9 and took the oath of office from Chief U.S. District Court Judge Clay D. Land on Nov. 22.

Peeler received his law degree in 1999 from the University of Georgia School of Law after receiving his bachelor of science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology in 1995 from UGA.

Prior to serving in his current role, Peeler worked in Atlanta for King & Spalding for five years. He moved to Albany in 2004 and founded Flynn+Peeler+Phillips. He has argued cases before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court and has obtained multimillion-dollar jury verdicts on behalf of plaintiffs and defense verdicts on behalf of defendants.

He has tried to verdict cases related to business disputes, civil rights matters, criminal matters, employment matters and intellectual property matters, his biography states.

Peeler was appointed by District Court Judges in the Middle District of Georgia to serve on the Local Rules Advisory Committee and the Planning Committee for the 2016 11th Circuit Judicial Conference. He was appointed by Govs. Sonny Perdue and Nathan Deal to serve on the State Judicial Nominating Commission.

Jennifer Parks