Andrew S. Boutros, appointed during the Trump administration as the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, is at the center of a criminal investigation involving E. Jean Carroll. Carroll, a former magazine writer, accused Donald J. Trump of sexual assault. Boutros leads a Chicago office experiencing notable prosecutorial setbacks and numerous staff resignations.
Appointed over a year ago, Boutros brought relevant experience to the role. He had previously served as a federal prosecutor in the Northern District, focusing on drug trafficking, white-collar crime, and money laundering. Later, he worked in private practice. Now, as the U.S. attorney in Chicago, Boutros, 48, tackles cases involving financial fraud, firearm possession, robbery, and threats of violence. He also channels resources into prosecutions that carry political weight. His actions closely align with Trump’s agenda, regardless of pushback from judges and juries.
Christopher V. Parente, a former deputy chief in the Chicago office, expressed concerns about Boutros’s focus. Parente, who has represented a defendant in a case from Boutros’s office, highlighted worries about the office’s credibility serving Trump’s interests. Recently, Judge April M. Perry criticized Boutros after finding improper actions by prosecutors before a grand jury.
Your sole goal is to do justice,” Judge Perry stated. “Your client is justice itself. I do believe deeply in the presumption of regularity and that most government attorneys are doing the best they can to do the right thing. That trust has been broken.