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A skilled advocate, Dennis Carletta represents individuals and corporations in complex criminal enforcement matters and sensitive internal investigations. As a former Assistant United States Attorney, Mr. Carletta has significant trial and litigation experience, having spent more than fifteen years investigating and prosecuting violations of federal criminal law.

Mr. Carletta joined O'Toole Scrivo LLC as a partner in 2018. With a seasoned understanding of both federal and state government enforcement actions, Mr. Carletta is adept at identifying core issues and providing his clients with creative solutions to effectively address their legal needs. Mr. Carletta focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, crisis management, and regulatory and compliance enforcement actions. In his prior career as an AUSA, Mr. Carletta was assigned to the National Security Unit (NSU) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and formerly served as NSU’s Acting Chief. Mr. Carletta also served as the District's National Security Cyber Specialist, and in that capacity, worked with the United States intelligence community to help oversee sensitive and classified investigations of cyber intrusions into U.S. companies by foreign actors. Additionally, Mr. Carletta routinely handled matters impacting the country's national security interests, including the prosecution of numerous international and domestic terrorism cases. His experience also includes the prosecution of traditional white-collar offenses including defense contracting fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, tax fraud, export violations, immigration fraud, and major fraud against the U.S. government, among others. Prior to his work in the National Security Unit, Mr. Carletta served in the Office's Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, where he investigated and prosecuted large-scale, international narcotics trafficking networks, as well as the unlawful distribution of prescription opiates by medical and pharmaceutical organizations. During his tenure as an AUSA, Mr. Carletta was honored by the U.S. Attorney General, the Director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation for the successful prosecutions of cases involving the unlawful export of sensitive electronics components to entities affiliated with Russian military and intelligence services, as well as the illicit manufacture and sale of weapons of mass destruction on the Darkweb.

Before joining the U.S. Attorney's office in 2005, Mr. Carletta worked as an assistant district attorney in Brooklyn, New York, where he prosecuted hundreds of state-level criminal offenses. Following his employment with the Kings County District Attorney's office, Mr. Carletta was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps, where he served with distinction as a prosecutor and legal advisor for the 3d Infantry Division, Division Artillery Brigade. In 2003, Mr. Carletta was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his meritorious service and wartime contributions during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Contact & Links
Location
  • 14 Village Park Road
    Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
Demographics
  • Gender: Male
Education
  • Touro College, J.D., graduated 1994
  • Binghamton University, B.A., graduated 1991
Bar Admissions
  • New York, 1995
  • New Jersey, 2018
Affiliations
  • O'Toole Scrivo, LLC - Partner
  • Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey - Member
  • Essex County Bar Association - Member
  • Heckel Inn of Court - Member
Court Admissions
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of New York

O'Toole Scrivo, LLC
Cedar Grove, New Jersey

5 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

1 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America award

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Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Awards:
  • Recipient, Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Prosecutor of the Year Award (2017) for the successful investigation and prosecution of individuals who fraudulently utilized the Student Exchange Visitor Program to engage in white-collar alien smuggling and harboring unauthorized aliens for commercial profit
  • Recipient, Attorney General's Award (2016), and Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Prosecutor of the Year Award (2015), acknowledging the successful investigation and prosecution of individuals who smuggled over $65 million in sensitive electronics components to entities affiliated with Russian military and intelligence services
  • Recipient, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director's Award (2015) and Federal Law Enforcement Foundation Prosecutor of the Year Award (2015) for the successful investigation and prosecution of individuals who distributed deadly toxins and trafficked firearms over encrypted, internet based platforms
  • Recipient, New Jersey Law Enforcement Award from the NJ Bias Crime Officer's Association (2013), for the district's first prosecution under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act, resulting in the convictions of three white supremacists accused of race- based assaults
  • Recipient of New York/New Jersey Regional OCDETF Awards for investigation and prosecution of large scale international narcotics distribution networks in Operation La Turista (2010) and Operation Red Line (2008)
  • Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service, Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003)

Publications

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