Justin Whatcott
Acting United States Attorney // District of Idaho
Justin D. Whatcott became the Acting United States Attorney on February 14, 2025, in accordance with the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 (5 U.S.C. § 3345). Prior to this appointment, he served as the First Assistant United States Attorney from 2022 to 2025 and as the Criminal Chief from 2020 to 2025.
Mr. Whatcott has dedicated his entire 25-year career to serving as a prosecutor in Idaho, with 9 years spent representing the State of Idaho and 16 years representing the United States. He began his career in 2000 as an intern in the Latah County Prosecutor’s Office, later working as a Deputy Prosecutor in Blaine and Ada Counties, and as Lead Deputy Attorney General in the Special Prosecutions Unit of the Idaho Attorney General’s Office. Mr. Whatcott prosecuted cases across more than 20 Idaho counties, including high-profile cases such as State v. Sarah Johnson (First-Degree Murder), State v. Timothy Dunlap (Capital Murder), and State v. Warren Weagant (Second-Degree Murder).
In 2009, Mr. Whatcott joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Treasure Valley Partnership, prosecuting firearms, narcotics, and violent crimes committed by gang members. He became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2010 and served as the district’s first Immigration Coordinator. During his tenure, he prosecuted a wide range of cases, including immigration, white-collar fraud, and child exploitation and human trafficking crimes. He also served as the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (CHIP) Coordinator and the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator.
Mr. Whatcott’s work earned him the Director’s Award for Excellence by a Litigative Team in 2015 for his role in United States v. Swenson et al., a securities and wire fraud case tied to the collapse of DBSI, Inc. He has been involved in significant federal cases, including United States v. Apodoca et al. (the district’s first RICO case against a criminal street gang), United States v. Joseph Duncan (Capital Murder), and United States v. Babichenko et al. (Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods).
In addition to his litigation experience, Mr. Whatcott serves as faculty for the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Education, teaching Trial Advocacy and Presentation Skills. He is also a frequent lecturer on topics such as the Fourth Amendment, Digital Evidence, and Prosecutorial Ethics, speaking to various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as legal organizations.
A lifelong Idaho resident, Mr. Whatcott is a graduate of Post Falls High School, the University of Idaho, and the University of Idaho School of Law.
Dates of Service: 2026 – Present
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