Spokane and Richland, WA – United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref announced today that three women – Laurel J. Holland, Frieda K. Zimmerman, and Allie S. Jensen – were sworn in as federal prosecutors for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington. Holland, Zimmerman, and Jensen will represent the United States of America in criminal and civil cases prosecuted in federal court. Holland and Zimmerman will serve as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs), and Jensen will serve as a Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA).
AUSA Holland is the first ever federal prosecutor appointed to serve fulltime in the newly staffed U.S. Attorney’s Office in Richland, Washington. AUSA Zimmerman and SAUSA Jensen will serve out of the main office in Spokane.
After administering the oath of office, U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref stated, “Today, each of these incredible women affirmed their commitment to execute faithfully their duties to serve and defend the Constitution of the United States. Each brings a wealth of experience, talent, and a strong commitment to public service.” U.S. Attorney Waldref continued,” We know from experience that these three women are exceptional attorneys and prosecutors. They are dedicated to building safer and stronger communities for everyone in Eastern Washington.”
AUSA Holland will serve in the Criminal Division, which handles all manner of federal criminal cases on behalf of the United States. Holland previously served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for Benton County from October 2009 through October 2015 and again from January 2019 through May 2023. In between, Holland served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Yakima, Washington from 2015 through 2018. From April 2022 until now, Holland served as a SAUSA, handling cases in both state and federal court. Throughout her career, Holland has been recognized for her work prosecuting cases involving the exploitation of young children.
AUSA Zimmerman, another member of the Office’s Criminal Division, will handle a variety of cases ranging from narcotics trafficking and illegal firearms possession to fraud and public corruption. Earlier this year, Zimmerman was honored by Attorney General Merrick Garland for her work at the Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. As a SAUSA for DOE, Zimmerman has been recognized as an expert in the areas of white-collar crime, False Claims Act cases, health care fraud, civil rights, and COVID-19 fraud. Prior to her federal service, Zimmerman served as an Assistant Attorney General for the Washington State Office of the Attorney General and worked at a local law firm in Spokane.
SAUSA Jensen will handle white collar fraud for both the Criminal and Civil Divisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2022, and later this year, she will begin a clerkship for the Honorable Zia M. Faruqui, who serves as a United States Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Prior to law school, Jensen was an elementary school teacher for the District of Columbia Public Schools in Washington D.C.
With today’s announcement, the Tri-Cities now has, for the first time ever, a staffed U.S. Attorney’s Office. U.S. Attorney Waldref stated, “Laurel Holland’s appointment as an Assistant United States Attorney marks a significant milestone for the Eastern District of Washington. When I became the United States Attorney a little more than a year ago, I made a commitment to open a staffed branch office in the Tri-cities, and we have worked tirelessly to make this happen. Today, we officially have fulfilled that promise.” She continued, “Our expansion in the Tri-Cities area is just getting started. We anticipate additional growth in the weeks, months, and years to come.”