Dena J. King was officially sworn in Monday, November 29 as United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Ms. King was nominated by President Joe Biden on September 28, 2021, and was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 19, 2021.
Chief U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger administered the oath of office to U.S. Attorney King during a private ceremony at the federal courthouse in Charlotte. King is the first person of color to be appointed as U.S. Attorney in the Western District.
“I am honored to serve as United States Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina,” said Ms. King following the ceremony. “It is a privilege to lead a team of dedicated and talented public servants who are passionate about their work and delivering justice to the people we serve. I also look forward to working closely with our federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement to ensure the safety of communities across Western North Carolina and engaging with our valued community partners in our shared mission to pursue equal justice under the law.”
With over 15 years in public service, U.S. Attorney King will lead an office of approximately 100 federal prosecutors and staff, located in Charlotte and in Asheville, that serves over three million residents throughout North Carolina’s 32 westernmost counties, including residents of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian Reservation.
U.S. Attorney King joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina in September 2020, as Deputy Criminal Chief overseeing the Violent Crimes and Narcotics Section, and as Lead Task Force Attorney for the Office’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. Prior to that, she served as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (2014-2015) and Assistant U.S. Attorney (2015-2020) at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC).
King graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina State University in 2003, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. Ms. King received her Juris Doctor in 2006, from North Carolina Central University School of Law. A North Carolina native, King grew up in Charlotte and graduated from South Mecklenburg High School.