U.S. Attorney Jay Town announced Friday that he is resigning his post with the Department of Justice and will take a job with a defense contractor in Huntsville later this year.

Town, 46, has been serving as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama since he was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by Congress in 2017.

“It was an honor to be a part of this Administration with an unrivaled class of United States Attorneys from around the nation. I will forever remain thankful to those who supported my nomination and my tenure as the U.S. Attorney,” Town said in a statement.

Before his appointment, Town served in the U.S. Marine Corps and as a judge advocate. He has also worked in the Madison County District Attorney’s Office.

“I offer my gratitude to Jay Town for his three years of service as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. Jay’s leadership in his District has been immense,” said U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr.

“His contributions to the Department of Justice have been extensive,” continued Barr, before adding, “I appreciate his service to our nation and to the Justice Department, and I wish him the very best.”

Town said of his new role, “I have accepted an incredible opportunity to work for a privately held defense contractor and cybersecurity solutions company located in Huntsville operating in both the government and commercial sectors. My role, which will begin later this year, will be significant but also has the virtue of allowing me to remain much closer to home. There will be an announcement by the company in a few weeks further explaining my position.”

As head federal prosecutor in the Northern District, Town oversaw the federal prosecutions for crimes committed in Huntsville, Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Oxford and many other cities.

“My service as the U.S. Attorney has been the highest honor of my legal career. I am saddened to depart, but it is undeniable that I leave behind an incredibly competent and talented team that will always fight for justice here in the great state of Alabama,” Town commented on Wednesday.

“The Attorney General of the United States will announce my replacement in the coming days or weeks,” he concluded.

Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: henry@new-yhn.local or on Twitter @HenryThornton95