Former United States Attorney Mike Crites is managing partner with the Columbus-based law firm of Rich, Crites & Dittmer, LLC. Crites is a highly decorated U.S. Navy Captain and veteran of the Vietnam War with a 21-year record of public service as federal, state and local prosecutor.
Crites was nominated in 1986 by President Ronald Reagan and overwhelmingly confirmed by a bipartisan vote of the U.S. Senate to be the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. He served in that position from 1986 to 1993 in the administration of both President Reagan and President George H.W. Bush.
As the United States Attorney, Crites and his staff of Assistant U.S. Attorneys were responsible for the prosecution of all federal criminal cases on behalf of the United States and representing the United States in all civil litigation in the U.S. District Courts in the Southern Judicial District of Ohio (48 of Ohio’s 88 counties, including the metropolitan areas of Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton).
During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, Crites and his staff successfully investigated, prosecuted and dismantled numerous local, national and international drug organizations, seized and obtained the forfeiture of more than $17 million in illegal drug money and assets; and collected more than $125 million owed to the United States. Additionally, he organized and led task forces to address health care fraud, insurance and financial fraud, bankruptcy fraud and environmental compliance.
Crites’ more than 21 years of experience as a federal, state, and local prosecutor also includes service as an Assistant United States Attorney, First Assistant Prosecuting Attorney (Delaware County), Assistant Prosecuting Attorney (Allen County) and City Prosecutor (Lima, Ohio).
He currently serves as Law Director/Prosecutor for Granville, Thornville, Commercial Point and Orient, Ohio. He has also served as Acting Law Director/Prosecutor for the cities of Hilliard, Pataskala and Harrisburg, as well as Special Counsel and Special Prosecutor for various Ohio municipalities, school districts and countries.
During his tenure as the United States Attorney, Crites was a frequent law enforcement lecturer to more than 400 audiences across the United States. He also served as:
Head of the U.S. Delegation to the Council of Europe in October 1992 at the International Convention on Money Laundering and Assest Forfeiture (Strasburg, France);
Chair, U.S. Attorney General’s Committee on International Affairs;
Chair, Southern District of Ohio Law Enforcement Coordination Committee;
Chair, Southern District of Ohio Health Care Fraud Committee;
Member, Great Lakes Region Organized Crime Drug Enforement Task Force.
Crites is a retired Caption in the united States Naval Reserve, where he served as the Commanding Officer of nine Naval Reserve Units. He studied at the Naval War College, National War College and Industrial Colleges of the Armed Forces. He also served as Deputy Commander for Mission Effectiveness, Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region 8. At his career peak, he helped manage more than 7,000 personnel.
A Vietnam Veteran, Crites has received the Legion of Merit Award, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and various campaign and service awards, including the Vietname Service and Vietnam Campaign Medals.
A lifetime member of the veterans of Foreign Wars, in 2000 Crites was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.
Crites is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Later, he received the Commandant’s Award from that institution. He is also a graduate of the Ohio Northern University School of Law. He was admitted to practice law in Ohio in 1978, and he is licensed to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit; the U.S. Districts Courts in the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio and the U.S. Tax Court.
As an active leader in his church, community and state, Crites has served as a member and president of his local school board and taught at The Ohio State University College of Law. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the University of Rio Grande, and he currently serves as President of the Greater Powell Veterans Memorial Foundation, which raised funds for the construction of a Veterans memorial in Powell. Crites and his wife Maureen has been married for 33 years. They are proud parents of three daughters. Two are graduates of the United States Naval Academy and now serving as naval officers and one is a graduate of the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and is now practicing law in Columbus.
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