Chief Assistant Prosecutor Erika Halayko
MAYS LANDING — Erika Halayko has been promoted as the newest Chief Assistant Prosecutor at Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Cary Shill announced.
“I have watched, for over a decade, as Chief Assistant Prosecutor Halayko has worked diligently in the pursuit of justice while serving in the litigation unit and then handling sexual assault cases in the Special Victim’s Unit, as well as, official misconduct and financial crimes cases,” Shill said.
Halayko, 38, was hired by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office in 2010. She started her career in the grand jury unit, was appointed to the litigation unit in 2011, and since 2018 has served in the Special Victim’s Unit handling sexual assault, official misconduct and financial crimes cases. She has tried various jury and bench trials, and received specialized training in interviewing child witnesses and prosecuting gang violence.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with her on several cases throughout the years and know she will be excellent in the position,” Chief Assistant rosecutor Erik Bergman said. “Her work ethic and her ability to communicate effectively is essential in training the newly experienced assistant prosecutors that typically make up the majority of that unit.”
Since 2016, Halayko volunteered as the office’s chief intern coordinator, where she serves as a mentor to rising stars in the legal profession.
“All of the office’s assistant prosecutors and interns that I have had the privilege of working with while serving our county are so special to me – each and every one of them. They are my sources of inspiration to work harder, and I want to honor them,” Halayko said.
Halayko has a bachelor’s degree in English and criminal justice from Rutgers University, where she graduated magna cum laude in 2006. She then earned her law degree from Seton Hall University, graduating in 2009. Upon graduation from law school, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Peter J. Melchionne, in the Bergen County Family Division. She is a member of the bars of New Jersey and New York.
“On my journey, there have been so many who have come before me–and those who are currently serving, and I would be remiss if I did not show my gratitude for their contributions and guidance,” she said.
She joins Chief Assistant Prosecutor Courtney Cittadini as one of the Prosecutor’s Office’s two female chief assistant prosecutors.
Her volunteer work includes judging Atlantic County Mock Trial, trustee of the Assistant Prosecutor Association of New Jersey, Coalition for a Safe Community and Atlantic County Bar Association. In 2020, she was the recipient of Atlantic City Weekly’s “Top 40 under 40” award.
She has instructed various law enforcement agencies in Atlantic County on effective report writing and changes in New Jersey criminal law, is a senior adjunct professor in the English Department at Atlantic Cape Community College.
