The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University is pleased to announce that Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence, recognizing his more than three decades of distinguished prosecutorial service and steadfast commitment to the fair, ethical, and effective administration of justice.
District Attorney Tierney will be honored this fall during the annual Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence ceremony at Pace University in Manhattan.
A career prosecutor with more than 30 years of experience at the state and federal levels, District Attorney Tierney was recently sworn in as President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York (DAASNY). He has dedicated his career to protecting communities, pursuing justice, and strengthening public safety. Elected Suffolk County District Attorney in 2021 and reelected in 2025, he has led the office through a series of significant initiatives addressing violent crime, organized crime, the opioid epidemic, crimes against vulnerable populations, and public corruption while fostering collaborative partnerships across law enforcement agencies.
"District Attorney Ray Tierney's distinguished career reflects the very qualities the Robert S. Tucker Prize was established to honor: integrity, professional excellence, and an unwavering commitment to the pursuit of justice," said Dean Horace E. Anderson, Jr. "Throughout more than three decades of public service, he has demonstrated that excellence in prosecution is measured not only by results, but by fairness, accountability, and dedication to the communities he serves. We are proud to recognize his outstanding contributions to the legal profession."
District Attorney Tierney began his prosecutorial career in 1992 as an Assistant District Attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, where he prosecuted cases ranging from misdemeanors to kidnappings, arson, violent sexual assaults, and homicide. In 2008, he joined the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York as an Assistant United States Attorney, overseeing complex criminal investigations and international prosecutions while briefing the Attorney General on nationwide MS-13 prosecutions. He later served as Executive Assistant District Attorney in the Kings County District Attorney's Office before returning to Suffolk County as District Attorney.
Under his leadership, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office has achieved significant prosecutorial successes through complex investigations, innovative public safety initiatives, and collaborative law enforcement efforts, including its nationally recognized work on the Gilgo Beach serial homicide investigation. The office established the Gilgo Beach Homicide Task Force and advanced the prosecution through groundbreaking DNA evidence. Most recently, District Attorney Tierney secured seven guilty pleas, as well as an admission to an eighth previously uncharged homicide, obtaining three life sentences, followed by 100 years to life, and sparing the victims' families the burden of a trial. In 2025, the office also secured a landmark New York court ruling allowing the use of advanced DNA evidence following an extensive Frye hearing, marking the first time such evidence was admitted in a New York court.
Beyond high-profile prosecutions, District Attorney Tierney has championed innovative initiatives designed to address emerging public safety challenges. These include the Evergreen Initiative, the Animal Crime Victims Fund, and the Wage Theft Task Force, as well as legislative advocacy to strengthen impaired driving laws and combat the distribution of fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics. These accomplishments, together with his recent appointment as President of DAASNY, reflect his commitment to advancing the administration of justice both within Suffolk County and across New York State.
“The Robert S. Tucker Prize was established to recognize prosecutors who uphold the highest standards of the profession while never losing sight of their fundamental duty to seek justice,” said Robert S. Tucker '96. “District Attorney Tierney has built a career defined by integrity, principled leadership, and an unwavering commitment to public service. I am proud to recognize him as this year's recipient of the Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence.”
Established through the generosity of distinguished alumnus and former Pace University Trustee Robert S. Tucker '96, the Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence honors an individual or organization that has made outstanding contributions to the field of criminal prosecution and exemplifies excellence in prosecutorial practice. Recipients are selected by a distinguished jury composed of law professors, criminal justice leaders, and former prosecutors.
Previous recipients include New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, New York Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan, Veronica Dragalin, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and the Bronx District Attorney's Office, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, former New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood, and the late Queens County District Attorney Richard A. Brown.
The 2026 Robert S. Tucker Prize for Prosecutorial Excellence ceremony will take place in September at Pace University in Manhattan. For additional information about attending the ceremony, please email Lori Kanner.
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