Tulsa’s US Attorney Reflects On 4 Years Serving Oklahoma: ‘Has Been An Honor’

The U.S. Attorney in Tulsa is resigning after 18 years with the justice department.

It’s typical for U.S. Attorney’s to leave office once a president of a different party is elected. Trent Shores told News On 6 that leaving his Tulsa staff behind won’t be easy.

He said so much has changed in his four years as US Attorney, from a Supreme Court decision that brought hundreds of new cases to his office, to presenting at the White House, and focusing on Native American violent crime, he said he's proud of his legacy. 

Shores was appointed to the job in 2017 and said serving Northern Oklahoma has been an honor.

"You do so knowing there's a chance if there's a change in administrations, you may be asked to resign, and that's what happened here," said Shores.

Before Shores was appointed U.S. attorney, he was a prosecutor in the same office, taking on cases involving human trafficking, violent and sex crimes, and white-collar criminals.

"We always took the road of truth and justice," said Shores. "It wasn't always politically convenient; it wasn't the easiest path, but it was the right path."

As a citizen of the Choctaw nation, Shores put a huge focus on prosecuting cases involving missing and murdered native women, even adding a position to his staff to focus solely on those cases.

"Working with Native American tribes and victims is personally and professionally meaningful," Shores said.

When the Supreme Court made a ruling last summer based on tribal jurisdiction, Shores said his office was flooded with cases, so he hired many new prosecutors and victim advocates to try to give those victims justice. 

"This office assumed a 300 percent increase in our workload each month," Shores said.

Shores reflects on career-changing moments, like the killing of Tulsa Police Sergeant Craig Johnson, and said it's not going to be easy to leave cases like that unfinished. He said he's confident his office won't stop fighting to do what's right.

"There are great Americans working daily to ensure the integrity of the system continues," said Shores.

Shores' last day is Sunday. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson will take over until President Biden appoints a new US Attorney.

Shores said he will be spending time with family and plans to stay here in Tulsa. He said he'll have a big announcement soon.