First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison Appointed to Serve on Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s Advisory Committee

Department of Justice

The AGAC was created in 1973 and advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys on essential matters facing the Department of Justice.

Source: Department of Justice
Photos: Courtesy

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, bottom left, joined other members of the AGAC at a meeting in Washington, D.C. on May 7, 2026.

ALBUQUERQUE – Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has appointed First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison of the District of New Mexico to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC). The AGAC was created in 1973 and advises the Attorney General on matters of policy, procedure, and management impacting the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys and elevates the voices of U.S. Attorneys on essential matters facing the Department of Justice.

“Serving on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee is a significant responsibility and an opportunity to ensure the challenges we face in New Mexico are heard at the highest levels of the Department,” said Mr. Ellison. “I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to refine national policy and strengthen our collective efforts to uphold the rule of law. Over the last year, New Mexico has been at the forefront of President Trump’s mandate to secure our southern border and make America safe again.  I’m grateful to Attorney General Blanche for the opportunity to serve and I’m proud that New Mexico will have a seat at the table where our Nation’s most important legal and public safety issues will be discussed.”

As First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison is the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of New Mexico. Prior to his appointment as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico in the Las Cruces Branch Office, most recently as Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney of the Violent and General Crimes Section.

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As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Mr. Ellison prosecuted members of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico (“SNM”) prison gang. He has also investigated and prosecuted other violent crimes, including VICAR murder, RICO conspiracy, carjacking resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, murder-for-hire, and various firearms, immigration, and national security offenses.

FAUSA Ellison and Acting AG Blanche photographed May 5, 2025, during tour of New Mexico’s National Defense Area

The AGAC is comprised of 18 United States Attorneys and First Assistant US Attorneys who lead their offices, and Mr. Ellison will serve alongside the Committee’s Chairman Jay Clayton (Southern District of New York) and Vice-Chairwoman Leah Foley (District of Massachusetts), as well as U.S. Attorney Dan Bishop (Middle District of North Carolina), U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros (Northern District of Illinois), U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford (District of Oregon), U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine (District of Arizona), Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby (Northern District of Alabama), U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant (Western District of Tennessee), First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli (Central District of California), U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon (Southern District of California), U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon (Eastern District of Michigan), Acting U.S. Attorney John Marck (Southern District of Texas), U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly (District of Colorado), U.S. Attorney David Metcalf (Eastern District of Pennsylvania), U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro (District of Columbia), U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones (Southern District of Florida), and U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods (District of Nebraska).

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