Officials move ahead on hiring assistant U.S. attorney

One priority will be prosecuting firearm violations under tougher federal law.
WARREN -- A female prosecuting attorney from western Pennsylvania has been tapped to be the new assistant U.S. Attorney in Youngstown.
The position has been vacant since Judge Cynthia Rice resigned the post more than a year ago to run for the 7th District Court of Appeals.
Cleveland-based prosecutors have been driving to town to handle the local cases, said Greg White, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
He would not name the new assistant U.S. Attorney for Youngstown until background checks are complete.
The process is expected to take a few months, White said.
"She is a very qualified prosecutor," he said. "She has been involved in a number of major investigations, many trials."
Spoke in Trumbull County
White spoke to reporters Thursday before a session to introduce himself to Trumbull County chiefs of police.
After fighting terrorism, White said his top priority as U.S. Attorney will be to work with local departments, especially in regard to Project Safe Neighborhood, under which firearm violations are prosecuted under federal statute.
Federal law calls for more stringent punishment than does state law.
"If we work together, we are going to be more effective and the more our communities benefit," White said.
Since taking the reigns of the U.S. Attorney's office, White has promoted assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Morford to head the office's criminal division.
Morford, who was the prosecutor in Traficant trial, had been a staff attorney in the organized-crime and corruption section of the office.
He now supervises that section and two others, White said.
Morford was one of three lawyers recommended for the U.S. Attorney post by U.S. Sens. George Voinovich and Mike DeWine.