FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed Steven D. Weinhoeft to serve as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Weinhoeft, returns to the role he held from 2018 to 2022, bringing decades of experience in federal law enforcement and complex litigation to the position.
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“I am honored and excited to return to this role to serve the people of the Southern District of Illinois,” said Weinhoeft. “I look forward to working with Attorney General Bondi, our talented team, and our law enforcement partners to uphold the rule of law with integrity and resolve.”
Weinhoeft has served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois since February 2008, holding multiple leadership roles, including United States Attorney (2018–2022), First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief of the Criminal Division, and Supervisor of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and Dangerous Drugs Division.
Weinhoeft has built a career spanning nearly 29 years. Before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he spent more than a decade at the Sangamon County (Ill.) State’s Attorney’s Office, including serving as its First Assistant State’s Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Division. He has significant trial experience, and his expertise includes broad areas of state and federal law, including violent crime, multi-district and international drug conspiracies, public corruption, national security, and complex financial crimes. He has technical experience serving as the office’s criminal Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Coordinator. He also serves as the Digital Asset Coordinator with specialized expertise in cryptocurrency and blockchain issues.
The Southern District of Illinois covers 38 counties in southern Illinois and serves approximately 1.2 million people. The district has offices in East St. Louis, Benton, and Fairview Heights.
As U.S. Attorney, Weinhoeft will again serve as the chief federal law enforcement official representing the United States in all civil and criminal litigation. His appointment took effect on Feb. 28, 2025, and he was formally sworn into the position by Chief United States District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel at a ceremony Monday.
