Taylor Leighton, a deputy district attorney with the 21st Judicial District in Grand Junction, has been selected as Prosecutor of the Year by the Colorado Welfare Fraud Council.

The council is a statewide organization comprised of city, county, state and federal employees who work with various public assistance programs and strive to detect and prevent fraud. The award recognizes individuals who’ve demonstrated excellence in prosecuting welfare fraud.

Matt Furphy, an investigator with the Mesa County Department of Human Services, nominated Leighton for the award.

Leighton has worked with the district attorney’s office for more than three years. He prosecuted the second known welfare fraud jury trial in Mesa County, a proceeding that resulted in 14 felony convictions, 20 years of probation and $35,000 in restitution.

“We are proud of the fine work Deputy DA Leighton has done in his handling of the case, and we are grateful to have such diligent welfare fraud investigators to work with to make successful prosecutions possible,” said Dan Rubenstein, Mesa County district attorney.