Mary Setzer

Ms. Setzer joined the Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor in 2023, and is responsible for the investigation and litigation of political corruption and public official misconduct matters throughout the state, specializing in those cases involving special victims matters.

Ms. Setzer graduated magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2012, where she served as the Comments Editor for the University of Baltimore Law Review and was a member of the Heuisler Honor Society.

Immediately after graduating from law school, Ms. Setzer clerked for the Honorable Paul A. Hackner in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County. She then served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, handling a variety of high-profile cases including sexual assaults and homicides, and serving as the Chief of the Domestic Violence Division of the Special Victims Unit.

Prior to joining the Office of the State Prosecutor, Ms. Setzer served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maryland for four years, where she led the office’s investigative efforts in human trafficking cases, investigating and litigating highly complicated and high-profile human trafficking cases throughout the State. Ms. Setzer also served as the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office, and prosecuted numerous federal child exploitation and sex crimes cases.

Ms. Setzer was selected as the 2022 recipient of the “Top Prosecutor” Award by Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE), a national award presented to a federal prosecutor who has demonstrated exemplary achievements in the prosecution of crimes involving trafficking of women and children. She was also selected as the 2022 recipient of the “Investigation of the Year” Award by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), for her multi-year investigation of a human trafficker who victimized dozens of women and children throughout Maryland.

Ms. Setzer has presented as a guest lecturer on numerous occasions on topics relating to Violence Against Women, including presentations to large audiences comprised of health care professionals, law enforcement officials, attorneys and victim service professionals.