Attorney General Platkin Announces J. Stephen Ferketic as Director of the Division of Criminal Justice

TRENTON – New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced today that J. Stephen Ferketic will join the Department of Law & Public Safety to serve as the Director of the Division of Criminal Justice, overseeing more than 400 investigators, detectives, prosecutors, and professional personnel charged with investigating, enforcing and prosecuting criminal activity throughout New Jersey.

“I am pleased to announce J. Stephen Ferketic as the new Director of the Division of Criminal Justice,” said Attorney General Platkin. “Stephen returns to New Jersey where he began his legal career. He brings with him policy and management experience having most recently served as the Chief of Staff at the Drug Enforcement Administration, as well as the litigation and investigative skills he gained as a federal prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. His experience will be crucial as he pursues wrongdoing across the state with a focus on intelligence-driven investigations that promote a safer and more just New Jersey.”

“I also want to thank Interim Director of the Division of Criminal Justice Derek Nececkas for his service and commitment to the Division,” added Attorney General Platkin. “His leadership and focus allowed the work of the Division to continue without interruption during this transition period.”

Ferketic was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and handled some of the district’s most high-profile prosecutions, including cases that were part of one of the largest health care fraud schemes prosecuted by the federal government involving fraudulent telemedicine networks and a federal criminal case brought against an opioid manufacturer. Ferketic previously served as an associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP, in New York, where his practice focused on securities litigation. In addition to his work as an attorney, Ferketic also served as a high school science teacher with Teach for America.

“I am incredibly honored to join the dedicated members of the Division of Criminal Justice, who work tirelessly every day to protect the people of New Jersey,” said Ferketic. “I am thrilled to join Attorney General Platkin and his team and look forward to getting to work.”

Ferketic clerked for the Honorable Patty Shwartz, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Honorable Anne E. Thompson, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. He received a B.S. and a B.A. from the University of Connecticut and J.D. from Emory University School of Law, where he served as a Robert W. Woodruff fellow.

Ferketic will begin his new role on August 14, 2023.

DCJ is responsible for investigating and prosecuting violations of New Jersey criminal laws. The Division investigates criminal activity across the State, focusing on high-impact cases that require significant or highly specialized investigative resources. DCJ also provides integral statewide trainings for prosecutors and law enforcement officers. In addition, DCJ assists the Attorney General in his role as the State’s chief law enforcement officer, which pursuant to the Criminal Justice Act of 1970, gives the Attorney General broad supervisory authority over New Jersey’s 21 County Prosecutors’ Offices and the State’s 38,000 law enforcement officers.