On November 17, 2023, following the passing of District Attorney Warren Montgomery, First Assistant District Attorney and long-time Chief Criminal Assistant District Attorney J. Collin Sims, was sworn in as Interim District Attorney of the 22nd Judicial District. Louisiana Supreme Court Justice William J. Crain presided over the swearing in.
Mr. Sims is from Mandeville, Louisiana and for more than 17 years, he has served as criminal prosecutor beginning as an Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish in 2006. In 2008, he accepted a position with the United States Attorney’s Office becoming one of the youngest Assistant United States Attorneys in the country. He spent the next 7 years as a federal criminal prosecutor assigned as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Louisiana and then in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In January of 2015, he accepted the position as Chief of the Criminal Division for the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office for District Attorney Warren Montgomery to serve St. Tammany and Washington Parishes. Mr. Sims remained cross designated as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for two additional years ending in January of 2017. During his time as a Federal and State Prosecutor Mr. Sims has specialized in investigating and prosecuting violent gangs, murders, rapists, criminal enterprises engaged in organized drug trafficking and money laundering, Racketeering (RICO), child exploitation and public corruption.
In deference to the honor of Mr. Montgomery and his family, release of this announcement was temporarily delayed.
Read his biography below
Collin Sims is from Mandeville, LA and graduated from Saint Paul’s High School. Collin attended Mississippi College on a leadership scholarship and graduated with honors with a degree in Political Science. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. For more than 17 years, he has served as a criminal prosecutor beginning as an Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish in 2006. In 2008, he accepted a position with the United States Attorney’s Office becoming one of the youngest Assistant United States Attorneys in the country. He spent the next 7 years as a federal criminal prosecutor assigned as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Louisiana and then in the Eastern District of Louisiana. In January of 2015, he accepted the position as Chief of the Criminal Division for the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office for District Attorney Warren Montgomery to serve St. Tammany and Washington Parishes. Collin remained cross designated as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for two additional years ending in January of 2017. Warren Montgomery also named Collin First Assistant District Attorney. Collin now serves as District Attorney (Interim) for the 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
During his time as a Federal and State Prosecutor Collin has specialized in investigating and prosecuting violent gangs, murders, rapists, criminal enterprises engaged in organized drug trafficking and money laundering, racketeering (RICO), child exploitation and public corruption. He has established and worked with several multi-state/jurisdictional and international task forces. Collin teaches investigators and prosecutors in both the federal and state systems on how to investigate and prosecute racketeering (RICO) cases, the use of wiretap (Title III) surveillance at the investigative stage along with presenting that evidence in court, and how to prepare a law enforcement witness to testify and write reports. In 2018, the District Attorney’s office collaborated with Safe Harbor, community leaders, and state and law enforcement agencies to start the Saint Tammany Domestic Violence Coordinated Community Response Team. This team is a multi-disciplinary partnership that focuses on providing access to domestic violence and sexual assault services that enhance victim safety and privacy. The changes made to the Domestic Violence Unit have resulted in a more than 200% reduction in the number of domestic violence cases dismissed after charging.
During his career, Collin has served on many boards for several professional and non-profit organizations. They include:
- The Children’s Advocacy Center, Hope House (2016-present)
- President of the St. Tammany Parish Bar Association (2023)
- Safe Haven Advisory Board (2015-present)
- Northshore Court Foundation (2023-present)
- Children’s Museum of St. Tammany Advisory Board (2023-present)
- Louisiana District Attorneys Association’s Assistant District Attorney’s Board of Directors, District Representative, representing the ten parishes of the 18th, 20th 21st and the 22nd Judicial District Courts.
Professional Awards and Accolades:
- Financial Case of the Year, DEA, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (2012)
- FBI Director’s Award, National Outstanding Criminal Investigation of Year (2016)
- Excellence in Law Enforcement Award from the New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission (2016) (2022)
- Department of Homeland Security Award – Service/Achievement Recognition
- United States Secret Service – Certificate of Appreciation – Superior Contribution
Collin is married to wife Elizabeth Sims whom he met while attending Mississippi College and had the honor of marrying her on November 26, 2005. Elizabeth is a Family Nurse Practitioner for Dr. Elizabeth White’s office in Covington, LA. She also volunteers as a children’s advocate with CASA and served on the board NAMI. They have three beautiful children; Sophia, Clay, and Everett and live in Madisonville, LA.
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