Sacramento-Based U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner Announces Resignation

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The Sacramento-based federal prosecutor whose office secured multi-billion dollar national settlements after the housing meltdown is resigning as President Barack Obama's administration begins to wind down.

Benjamin Wagner, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, announced Wednesday that he will step down at the end of April.

Obama appointed Wagner as the top federal prosecutor for inland California from Bakersfield to the Oregon border in 2009.

The region was among those hardest hit by the mortgage crisis.

Settlements Wagner reached include last week's $5 billion agreement with Goldman Sachs and the $13 billion payment by JPMorgan Chase in 2013 over residential mortgage-backed securities.

Wagner will seek a job at a Northern California law firm after he leaves office.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert will become acting U.S. Attorney.

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.