Peter Neronha

Peter Neronha
Born	Peter Franz Neronha 17 12, 1963
Birthplace	Wakefield, Rhode Island, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Lawyer, politician
Known for	74th Attorney General of Rhode Island; U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island
Education	Boston College (BA, JD)
Spouse(s)	Shelly Johnson
Children	2
Website	[Official government website Official site]

Peter Franz Neronha (born December 17, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the 74th Attorney General of Rhode Island since January 2019. A resident of Jamestown, Rhode Island, Neronha previously served as the United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from September 2009 to March 2017, having been appointed by President Barack Obama. During his tenure as U.S. Attorney, he oversaw a number of high-profile federal prosecutions, including public corruption cases and major drug trafficking investigations. After his departure from the U.S. Attorney's office in 2017—part of a nationwide dismissal of Obama-era federal prosecutors by the Trump administration—Neronha launched a successful campaign for Attorney General as a Democrat, winning the 2018 general election. As Attorney General, Neronha has expanded the scope of the office into areas including gun safety reform, clergy sex abuse investigations, consumer protection, and multistate litigation against the federal government. In October 2025, he announced that he would not seek the governorship or any other elected office after the conclusion of his term.

Early Life

Peter Franz Neronha was born on December 17, 1963, in Wakefield, Rhode Island. He grew up in Rhode Island and has maintained deep roots in the state throughout his career. Neronha has resided in Jamestown, Rhode Island, with his wife Shelly Johnson and their two children.

Details regarding Neronha's parents, siblings, and childhood upbringing are not extensively documented in publicly available sources. However, his long career in public service in Rhode Island—from his early work as a federal prosecutor to his eventual election as Attorney General—reflects a sustained commitment to the state in which he was raised.

Education

Neronha attended Boston College, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently enrolled at Boston College Law School, where he obtained his Juris Doctor (JD). His legal education at Boston College provided the foundation for a career in federal and state law that would span several decades.

Career

Early Legal Career

Following his graduation from Boston College Law School, Neronha embarked on a career in law. He joined the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Rhode Island as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA), where he spent years prosecuting federal cases. His work as a federal prosecutor exposed him to a wide range of criminal matters, including white-collar crime, public corruption, narcotics trafficking, and civil rights violations. Over time, Neronha developed a reputation as an experienced and capable litigator within the federal court system in Rhode Island.

United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island

On September 16, 2009, Neronha was appointed as the United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island by President Barack Obama, succeeding Robert Clark Corrente. As U.S. Attorney, Neronha served as the chief federal law enforcement officer in Rhode Island, overseeing all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States government within the district.

During his nearly eight-year tenure, Neronha's office handled a number of significant cases that drew national attention. Among the most prominent was the prosecution of former Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox, who was charged with bribery and wire fraud in March 2015. The case represented one of the most high-profile public corruption prosecutions in Rhode Island history and underscored the U.S. Attorney's Office commitment to rooting out corruption in state government.

Neronha's office also pursued major drug trafficking cases. In one notable operation, 11 individuals were arrested in connection with a heroin trafficking ring that had been distributing the drug throughout Rhode Island. The investigation involved cooperation among multiple federal and state law enforcement agencies and highlighted the growing opioid crisis affecting the state and the broader New England region.

In the area of corporate enforcement, Neronha's office secured a settlement with CVS Health to resolve a government dispute. The case involved allegations against the pharmacy chain, and the resolution required CVS Health to pay the government as part of the settlement.

Another notable matter during his tenure involved a Google forfeiture case in 2012, in which the U.S. Attorney's Office reached an agreement involving between $230 million and $500 million related to Google's advertising practices. The case attracted significant media coverage and was one of the larger federal forfeiture actions of its time.

Neronha served as U.S. Attorney under both President Obama and briefly under President Donald Trump. On March 10, 2017, he was dismissed from his position as part of a nationwide removal of 46 U.S. Attorneys appointed by the Obama administration, carried out at the direction of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Neronha was succeeded in the role by Aaron L. Weisman, who served in an acting capacity.

2018 Attorney General Campaign

Following his departure from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Neronha announced his candidacy for Attorney General of Rhode Island in the 2018 election cycle, running as a Democrat. He formally entered the race and positioned himself as a candidate with extensive federal prosecution experience who could bring a more aggressive and expansive approach to the state Attorney General's office.

The 2018 race saw a competitive slate of candidates in both state and federal races across Rhode Island. Neronha secured the Democratic nomination and went on to win the general election, succeeding incumbent Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, who did not seek re-election. The results of the general election confirmed Neronha's victory. He took office on January 1, 2019, becoming the 74th Attorney General of Rhode Island.

Attorney General of Rhode Island

As Attorney General, Neronha has served under Governors Gina Raimondo and Dan McKee. His tenure has been characterized by an expansion of the office's activities into a broader range of policy areas and legal actions, including gun safety, consumer protection, clergy sex abuse, environmental issues, and multistate litigation.

Gun Safety Reform

Early in his tenure, Neronha partnered with Governor Raimondo to introduce a package of bills aimed at gun safety reform in Rhode Island. The legislative proposals represented an effort to address gun violence through state-level policy changes and reflected Neronha's use of the Attorney General's office as a platform for advocating specific policy reforms.

Clergy Sex Abuse Investigation

One of the most consequential initiatives of Neronha's tenure as Attorney General has been his investigation into clergy sex abuse within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence. In 2019, Neronha announced that his office would review church abuse claims in Rhode Island, launching a comprehensive inquiry into allegations of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. The investigation attracted national media coverage, with outlets reporting on the scope and significance of the inquiry.

In January 2026, Neronha released a long-awaited report on clergy sex abuse in Rhode Island. The report stated that the Diocese of Providence had allowed "dozens of priests" to abuse "hundreds of children" despite receiving credible allegations of misconduct. The findings represented one of the most thorough state-level investigations into Catholic clergy abuse and drew significant public and media attention. In delivering the report, Neronha stated publicly that the findings had "shaken my faith."

Multistate Litigation and Federal Challenges

Neronha has been an active participant in multistate legal actions. Shortly after taking office in 2019, he joined a multistate lawsuit challenging President Trump's declaration of a national emergency related to border wall funding. The lawsuit, filed in conjunction with other state attorneys general, argued that the emergency declaration exceeded presidential authority.

In February 2026, Neronha joined a coalition of 13 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the alleged illegal termination of energy and infrastructure funding. The lawsuit contended that the funding cuts were unlawful and would harm state-level energy and infrastructure programs.

Brown University Shooting Investigation

In December 2025, Neronha was involved in the public response to a shooting incident at Brown University in Providence. In media interviews, Neronha commented on the FBI's conduct during the manhunt for the suspect, stating that the FBI "got over their skis" after a person was arrested and subsequently released. His remarks highlighted tensions between federal and state law enforcement in the handling of the case. Neronha also spoke with local media about the ongoing investigation, emphasizing the importance of thoroughness, saying "You've got to run every lead to ground."

CharterCARE Health Partners

In early 2026, Neronha's office moved to intervene in the bankruptcy proceedings of CharterCARE Health Partners, filing a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to open up bidding to additional parties. The action reflected the Attorney General's interest in protecting healthcare access and ensuring that the sale of healthcare assets proceeded in a manner consistent with the public interest.

Transformation of the Attorney General's Office

Neronha's tenure has been described as a period of significant transformation for the Rhode Island Attorney General's office. A November 2025 analysis by The Providence Journal noted that Neronha's approach to the office was expansive, stating that his "vision for the office was limited only by his imagination." The article framed the 2026 race to succeed him as among the most consequential in Rhode Island politics, in part because of the precedent Neronha had set regarding the scope and ambition of the office.

Decision Not to Seek Higher Office

On October 3, 2025, Neronha announced that he would not run for governor of Rhode Island in the 2026 election, nor would he seek any other elected office after his term as Attorney General concluded. The announcement narrowed the field of potential Democratic candidates for governor and signaled the end of Neronha's career in elected public service.

Personal Life

Peter Neronha resides in Jamestown, Rhode Island, with his wife, Shelly Johnson. The couple has two children. Neronha has maintained his personal residence in Jamestown throughout his careers in both federal and state government.

In the wake of releasing the clergy sex abuse report in January 2026, Neronha publicly acknowledged the personal impact of the investigation, stating that the findings had "shaken my faith," a rare personal disclosure from the typically reserved attorney general.

Legacy

Peter Neronha's combined service as United States Attorney and Attorney General of Rhode Island spans more than 15 years of public legal practice in the state. His tenure as U.S. Attorney was marked by significant public corruption prosecutions, including that of former House Speaker Gordon Fox, as well as major drug trafficking and corporate enforcement actions. His work as Attorney General has been characterized by an expansion of the office's reach into areas such as clergy sex abuse, gun safety, multistate litigation, and healthcare oversight.

The November 2025 analysis by The Providence Journal characterized Neronha's impact on the Attorney General's office as transformative, noting that his expansive approach to the role had set a precedent that future occupants of the office would be expected to follow or address. The article identified the 2026 race to succeed Neronha as one of the most closely watched elections in Rhode Island, in large part because of the institutional changes he had brought to the office.

Neronha's decision not to seek the governorship or other elected office after his current term suggests that his direct influence on Rhode Island politics will be exercised primarily through the lasting institutional changes he made to the Attorney General's office and the legal precedents established during his tenure.