Maria Chapa Lopez


Maria Chapa Lopez is an American attorney who currently serves as the United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Education

Chapa Lopez received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas, her Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law, and her Master of Laws from The Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Legal career

From April 2000 to April 2016, Chapa Lopez 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 DOJ Deputy Attaché in the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's Office, she served in the U.S. Army JAG Corps, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

U.S. Attorney

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.
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. On July 12, 2018, her nomination was reported out of committee by a voice vote. On August 28, 2018, her nomination was confirmed in the United States Senate by voice vote. She was sworn into office on September 4, 2018.