The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, has announced his resignation effective midnight on December 11, 2015.  After his resignation, he plans on joining a national law firm based in the Saint Louis, Missouri, area.  Wigginton was sworn into office as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois on August 27, 2010, after nomination by President Barack Obama and unanimous confirmation by the United States Senate.  He served on various subcommittees and working groups of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee.  During his tenure as United States Attorney, Wigginton directed and oversaw many important law enforcement operations targeting violent crime, public corruption, fraud on government programs, health care fraud and crimes involving the exploitation of children.  Over the past five years, he substantially increased the number of prosecutions of public officials and law enforcement officers caught violating the law.  This included elected officials, police chiefs, police officers, probation officers, federal correctional officers, water clerks, township officials and mayors.  The Southern District of Illinois covers the 38 southern-most counties in Illinois, has a population of approximately 1.25 million people and encompasses a geographical area about the size of Maryland.