Maria Chapa Lopez
United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida
In office
January 5, 2018 – February 27, 2021
Interim: January 5, 2018 – September 3, 2018
PresidentDonald Trump
Joe Biden
Preceded byA. Lee Bentley III
Succeeded byKarin Hoppmann (acting)
Personal details
EducationUniversity of Texas (BA)
South Texas College of Law (JD)
The JAG School (LLM)
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
RankLieutenant colonel

Maria Chapa Lopez is an American attorney who served as the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida from 2018 to 2021.

Early life and education

Chapa Lopez's parents were born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States, settling in Chicago in the 1950s.[1] When Chapa Lopez was a child, her family moved to Odessa, Texas.[1] According to Chapa Lopez, she spent summers with her grandparents in Mexico while growing up.[1]

Chapa Lopez received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas, and her Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law, thereafter joining the United States Army and earning her Master of Laws from the JAG School at the University of Virginia.[2]

Career

Early career

Chapa Lopez spent more than a decade as a Judge Advocate in the United States Army, leaving at the rank of lieutenant colonel.[1][3]

From April 2000 to April 2016, she worked as an assistant United States attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, prosecuting complex transnational and domestic drug trafficking organizations, large-scale money laundering cases, and complex opioid cases. From April 2016 to January 2018, she was the U.S. Department of Justice deputy attaché in the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.[3]

U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida

On January 3, 2018, United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the appointment of Chapa Lopez to serve as interim U.S. attorney after the resignation of A. Lee Bentley III.[4]

On May 10, 2018, President Trump announced his intent to nominate Chapa Lopez to be the United States attorney for the Middle District of Florida. On May 15, 2018, her nomination was sent to the Senate.[5] On July 12, 2018, her nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote.[6] On August 28, 2018, her nomination was confirmed in the United States Senate by voice vote.[7] She was sworn into office on September 4, 2018.[8]

Chapa Lopez resigned on February 27, 2021, following the presidential transition of Joe Biden.[9][10][11]

Personal life

Chapa Lopez is married to a deputy sheriff with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, whom she met while they were both in the U.S. Army.[1]

According to Chapa Lopez, she is a fan of the conceptual artist Jesus Ortiz.[1]

Chapa Lopez speaks English and Spanish.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rojas, Josh (October 1, 2019). "Exclusive: Hispanic Woman is Top Federal Officer in Bay Area". Spectrum News. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Meet the US Attorney: Maria Chapa Lopez". www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/meet-us-attorney. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "President Donald J. Trump Announces Ninth Wave of United States Attorney Nominations and Third Wave of United States Marshal Nominations". whitehouse.gov. May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2018 – via National Archives.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ↑ Sullivan, Dan (January 3, 2018). "Maria Chapa Lopez to serve as interim U.S. attorney for Tampa-based district". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Fifteen Nominations and One Withdrawal Sent to the Senate Today" White House, May 15, 2018
  6. ↑ Results of Executive Business Meeting – July 12, 2018, Senate Judiciary Committee
  7. ↑ "PN1961 - Nomination of Maria Chapa Lopez for Department of Justice, 115th Congress (2017-2018)". www.congress.gov. 2018-08-28. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  8. ↑ "Meet the U.S. Attorney". U.S. Attorney's Office Middle District of Florida. U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  9. ↑ "Maria Chapa Lopez Announces Resignation As United States Attorney For The Middle District Of Florida" (Press release). Tampa, Florida: United States Attorney's Office. February 26, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  10. ↑ Balsamo, Michael (February 9, 2021). "Justice Dept. seeks resignations of Trump-era US attorneys". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Maria Chapa Lopez Announces Resignation As United States Attorney For The Middle District Of Florida" (Press release). Tampa, Florida: United States Attorney's Office. February 26, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  12. ↑ "MARIA CHAPA LOPEZ". texasbar.com. Texas Bar. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
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