Robert L Capers

Early life and education

Capers was born in 1971 in the Bronx. His father was a detective for, and his brother is now retired from, the New York Police Department. He received his BA from New York University in 1992, where he was co-captain of the basketball team. In 1996 he earned his JD from Albany Law School.

Career

Before becoming a federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York in 2003, Capers was the Chief of the Narcotics Section of the International Narcotics Strike Force. He was a prosecutor for the Manhattan district attorney’s office, and then was the Deputy Chief of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, and Acting Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Section. He was also an Assistant US Attorney. He worked for the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for New York City, and was an Assistant District Attorney at the New York County District Attorney’s Office.

Mr. Capers prosecutes public corruption cases in his role as federal prosecutor in Brooklyn. In May, 2015, Senator Chuck Schumer announced his support for Capers to be the next United States attorney for the Eastern District, taking over for Loretta Lynch, who became the US attorney general in April 2015. In October 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Capers for the job Senator Schumer had recommended him for in May.

Cases

Capers was involved in the high-profile case of State Assemblyman William F. Boyland, who was sentenced in September, 2015 for corruption. The Brooklyn state senator was given 14 years in prison for accepting bribes in exchange for government help on development projects in New York. Boyland had previously been acquitted in Manhattan federal court on similar charges.

Personal life

Capers lives in New Jersey.