PRESS RELEASE
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced today that noted New York City prosecutor Wanda Perez-Maldonado has been appointed the new chief of the office’s Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit (SIPU). Perez-Maldonado previously served as a senior prosecutor in SIPU from 2015-2016, before departing to become chief of the Public Integrity Unit at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. SIPU’s previous chief, Chief Deputy Attorney General Alvin Bragg, served in the role since the unit’s creation in July 2015. Bragg will continue to oversee the unit in his capacity as Chief Deputy Attorney General.
Perez-Maldonado has worked for more than two decades in New York law enforcement. Over the course of her career, Perez-Maldonado has investigated 20 cases involving police involved deaths.
“The investigations undertaken by the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit are among the most complex and sensitive that this office undertakes,” said Attorney General Barbara Underwood. “Wanda Perez-Maldonado is a deeply experienced and meticulous prosecutor who will oversee SIPU with the care and dedication that it demands. I am honored she has agreed to lead the team that she helped start.”
“I am honored to serve the people of New York in this vital role,” said Wanda Perez-Maldonado.
“I’ve dedicated my career to the pursuit of fair and equal justice, and I look forward to working with the extraordinary team of investigators and prosecutors in SIPU to continue our important work.”
On July 8, 2015, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order No. 147, which appointed the New York State Attorney General as special prosecutor in incidents where a law enforcement officer causes the death of an unarmed civilian, or where there is a significant question as to whether the civilian was armed and dangerous. The following day, the office announced the creation of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit (SIPU) to investigate and, if warranted, prosecute all cases that fall within the scope of Executive Order 147.
Since its creation nearly three years ago, SIPU has undertaken 17 total investigations. Of those investigations, seven are currently ongoing. In cases where there are no charges, SIPU releases a comprehensive report as part of its commitment to bringing an unprecedented level of transparency to these cases.
Perez-Maldonado has a long and distinguished career in New York law enforcement. Just after law school, she began working as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx DA’s Investigations Division, Rackets Bureau, where she served for seven years. From there, she moved to the New York State Attorney General’s office for more than a decade, serving in numerous posts, including the Organized Crime Task Force, the Public Integrity Bureau, and the Westchester Regional Office. Perez-Maldonado was also an original member of SIPU at its founding. She returns to the Attorney General’s office after two years as the Chief of the Bronx DA’s Public Integrity Bureau.
Perez-Maldonado lives in Mahopac, NY with her husband and two kids. She is a graduate of Rutgers University and Columbia University School of Law.
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