Miami U.S. Attorney Resigns After 40% Staff Loss in 'Grand Conspiracy' Probe
Jason Reding Quiñones departs the Southern District of Florida as Justice Department leadership churns following the midterm elections.
By Diego Mendoza ·
The federal justice system in South Florida lost its top prosecutor on Friday as Jason Reding Quiñones resigned as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Quiñones led the office assigned to oversee the administration's investigation into alleged coordination among former officials against President Donald Trump.
His departure is part of a wave of exits from the Department of Justice following the recent midterm elections. John Eisenberg, the department's top national security official, also resigned on Friday. Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General who restructured the Civil Rights Division, announced her departure on Thursday.
Quiñones was confirmed by the Senate last year after serving as a Miami-Dade County Judge appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2024. Before his federal appointment, he worked as a federal prosecutor in Miami. People familiar with the matter said Washington officials were frustrated with his management of the office during its handling of the so-called grand conspiracy probe.
The investigation has faced internal difficulties since it began. In July, Civil Division Chief Matthew Feely apologized to a federal judge for the office's handling of immigration cases. Feely noted that the office lost 40% of its civil attorneys since 2025. He told the judge, 'We’re struggling here, your honor.'
Recent weeks saw investigators delay scheduled grand jury testimony from several witnesses. Multiple sources indicated that staff turnover and delays have hampered the probe. The investigation into former law enforcement and intelligence officials has proceeded in fits and starts for over a year.
Quiñones' office indicted Raúl Castro, the former Cuban president, in May on charges related to the 1996 downing of civilian planes. Attorney General Todd Blanche praised Quiñones for his leadership in combating violent crime, drug trafficking, and transnational crime. Blanche said the department is grateful for Quiñones' work, including the Castro indictment.
Quiñones stated in a social media post that he is leaving with 'immense pride in what we accomplished together.' He expressed gratitude to President Trump for his trust and to the staff of the Southern District of Florida for their dedication. The resignation is effective immediately.
The departure of Quiñones and other senior officials follows a period of leadership changes in the National Security Division. Eisenberg oversaw cases involving espionage and cyber crimes, including the prosecution of John Bolton. Bolton pleaded guilty this year to mishandling classified information and is awaiting sentencing.
