NEWS RELEASE

United States Sentencing Commission
One Columbus Circle, N.E.
Washington, DC 20002

Contact: Michael Courlander
Public Affairs Officer
(202) 502-4590

U.S. SENTENCING COMMISSION NAMES
CHARLES R. TETZLAFF AS GENERAL COUNSEL

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 22, 2001) -- The U.S. Sentencing Commission has announced the appointment of Charles R. Tetzlaff as its general counsel, effective today. "Charles Tetzlaff brings with him a wealth of experience in the criminal justice arena, from both a prosecution perspective and a defense perspective," said Commission Chair Diana E. Murphy. "In addition, he is a very skilled manager of people and will be just the kind of person our commissioners and staff will want to work with. The Commission is most pleased that Mr. Tetzlaff has accepted the offer."

Said Mr. Tetzlaff, "I am excited about the appointment and look forward to the professional opportunities and challenges presented by this position."

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Tetzlaff served as the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont, a post he held from 1993 to the present. From 1970-1993, Mr. Tetzlaff was an attorney in private practice; he was a partner in the firm of Latham, Eastman, Schweyer & Tetzlaff from 1973 up until the time he became U.S. Attorney. As a private attorney, he focused on criminal and civil litigation in both federal and state courts. Mr. Tetzlaff served from 1968-1970 as deputy state's attorney in Chittenden County, VT, where he tried numerous criminal cases. From 1965-1968, he was a U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate, stationed in Newfoundland, Canada, and Georgia. While in the Air Force, he tried numerous court martials as both trial and defense counsel. Mr. Tetzlaff was discharged with the rank of Captain in 1968.

Mr. Tetzlaff holds a bachelors degree from the University of Vermont, awarded in 1960; an LL.B. from the Boston University School of Law, awarded in 1963; and an LL.M. from New York University School of Law (with an emphasis in criminal law), awarded in 1964.

He was admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court and the Vermont Supreme Court in 1964 and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1970.

Since 1999, Mr. Tetzlaff has served as a member of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee; he is a member of the AGAC Subcommittee on Sentencing Guidelines, chair of the Subcommittee on Health Care Fraud, and co-chair of the Border Subcommittee. He has chaired the Governor's Sentencing Study Commission and has served on the Vermont Board of Bar Examiners, the State Police Advisory Commission, and the Governor's Bail Amendment Task Force. He also has served as trustee of Vermont Legal Aid, Inc.

The U.S. Sentencing Commission, an independent agency in the judicial branch of the federal government, was organized in 1985 to develop a national sentencing policy for the federal courts. The resulting sentencing guidelines, which went into effect November 1, 1987, structure the courts' sentencing discretion to ensure that similar offenders who commit similar offenses receive a similar sentence. Since nationwide implementation in January 1989, federal judges have sentenced approximately 500,000 defendants under the guidelines.