GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The Northwestern Assistant DA and deputy chief of the Child Protection Unit, Anne Yereniuk, has been honored with the Massachusetts DA Association “Spotlight Award” for her work in cybercrimes and pursuit of online perpetrators who disseminate child sexual abuse material. 

From the Northwestern DA’s Office:

 Child Protection Unit Deputy Chief earns prosecutors’ honor 

Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Anne Yereniuk, deputy chief of the Child Protection Unit, was honored last month with the Massachusetts District Attorney Association “Spotlight Award” at an annual prosecutors‘ conference in Boston. She was one of 11 ADAs across the state to receive the award. 

Yereniuk has worked at the Northwestern DA’s office since 2013 in various capacities, including prosecuting felony cases, serving as an attorney in charge of a district court team, and heading up the Elders and Persons with Disabilities Unit. Prior to joining NWDAO, she worked in the Hampden County DA’s office from 2007 to 2013. She graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 2005. 

Northwestern First Assistant District Attorney Steven Gagne presented Yereniuk with the award at an April 25 ceremony where he noted her expertise in cybercrimes and her pursuit of online perpetrators who disseminate child sexual abuse material. He also applauded her ongoing efforts to educate the courts, lawyers, and the general public that what was formerly described as “child pornography” is in fact child exploitation and abuse, and is not a victimless crime. 

In bestowing the award, Gagne described Yereniuk as “one of the hardest working, most dedicated and highly organized prosecutors I’ve ever known.” 

“She is as compassionate with her child victims, as she is tenacious in her prosecution of those who would abuse and exploit them,” he said. 

The Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office is an independent state agency that supports the state’s 11 elected district attorneys and the 785 prosecutors and 260 victim witness advocates who work in those offices. It holds an annual conference at which each district attorney’s office selects one prosecutor for the Spotlight Award bestowed to prosecutors for outstanding service, spirit and professionalism. 

Previous NWDA Spotlight honorees include Assistant District Attorneys Nicholas Atallah, Ryan Scott, Andrew Covington, Jennifer Suhl (now Deputy DA), Elizabeth Mulcahy, Michael Russo, Matthew Thomas, and Cynthia Von Flatern.