On Tuesday, September 23, Tonya Spaeth Ahlschwede, District Attorney for the 452nd Judicial District, was recognized as Prosecutor of the Year at the annual conference of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association (TDCAA) in Round Rock, Texas. Ahlschwede received the award for years of service prosecuting complex felony cases and for her leadership and advocacy as Chair of the Border Prosecution Unit (BPU), a coalition of 17 District Attorneys’ offices across the border region of the state.
The Criminal Justice Section of the Texas State Bar annually recognizes a Prosecutor of the Year for outstanding service to the Texas criminal justice system. The award is given to a prosecutor who has demonstrated a devotion to the profession of prosecution and who aspires to be a true example of a “minister of justice.”
In her capacity as Chair of the BPU since 2021, Ms. Ahlschwede has spearheaded efforts to ensure substantial funding and substantive changes in state law to protect state borders.
In addition to her work with the BPU, Ms. Ahlschwede has prosecuted hundreds of felony cases during her lengthy tenure as District Attorney, including recent multiple 99-year sentences against human smugglers who caused deaths in Edwards and Kimble Counties. She and her office also prosecuted the arsonist who burned down the Mason County Courthouse in February 2021.
The 452nd Judicial District includes Mason, McCulloch, Menard, Kimble, and Edwards Counties and covers more than 6,000 square miles.
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