Nola Heller Receives Prestigious Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service
Date: 10/25/17
Cahill partner Nola Heller and a multi-agency team received the 2017 Attorney General's Award for Exceptional Service, the Department of Justice’s highest award for employee service. Attorney General Jeff Sessions presented the award to Heller and the team at the 65th Annual Attorney General's Awards Ceremony on October 25, 2017. The annual ceremony recognizes department employees and individuals outside of the department for their outstanding service and dedication to carrying out the missions of the Department of Justice.
Heller and those on the team received the award for their accomplishments on the investigations, arrests and prosecution of more than 120 members of the violent Bronx-based Trinitarios gang. These RICO cases resulted in clearance of numerous murders and other acts of extreme violence through guilty pleas or convictions at trial. The Trinitarios cases had a direct impact on the homicide rate in the Bronx, which has declined to record-low levels in the aftermath of the initial takedown and subsequent investigation and prosecution.
Prior to joining Cahill, Nola served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. As Chief of the Violent and Organized Crime Unit, and prior to that Chief of the General Crimes Unit, she has prosecuted or supervised over 2,000 cases involving racketeering (RICO), securities fraud, money laundering, bank and wire fraud, tax fraud, health care fraud, and cybercrime, among other offenses. She also served as one of the Office's primary liaisons with various federal and state agencies, including the Department of Justice, other U.S. Attorney's Offices, District Attorney's Offices, and law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and IRS.
During her tenure at the S.D.N.Y., Nola also received the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation's Prosecutor of the Year Award and twice earned Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Awards of Excellence.