District Attorney Jason Woodbury said Tuesday morning he will run for re-election this year. Woodbury is finishing his first term after being elected in 2014.
“I am profoundly grateful Carson City voters hired me to do this job,” Woodbury said in a statement. “We’ve assembled a solid team that serves this community well.”
Woodbury, 45, said public safety is “Job One” and mentioned several successful prosecutions in support of his re-election bid, including last year’s conviction of six young adults for the murder of 18-year-old Grant Watkins.
Woodbury also noted the apprehension of John Aston, who stalked Judge John Tatro for years, as another highlight of his first term. Before Aston was identified as the perpetrator, a judge approved Woodbury’s request for an arrest warrant based solely on the stalker’s DNA. Woodbury called the DNA warrant the “first of its kind for Nevada,” explaining that without it, Aston’s subsequent arrest for discharging a firearm into Tatro’s home would’ve been prohibited by the statute of limitations.
Woodbury referenced historic lows in Carson City’s crime rate as evidence of his office’s effectiveness. Total reported crime in 2017 was down 5.5 percent from last year and 9.5 percent from 2015.
“Several things have to click to hit a number like that. Primarily, front line deputies and detectives deserve the credit. But you just wouldn’t see that kind of reduction in crime if my office wasn’t doing its job, too,” he said.
He was recently elected president of the Nevada District Attorney’s Association. His term will begin just before the 2019 Legislature convenes.
“The DAs are highly engaged during session,” he said. “We want to make sure lawmakers are educated on how their bills affect law enforcement.”
Woodbury said if re-elected he would seek to establish a Child Advocacy Center for abuse victims.
“It’s a massive project,” he said. “But with the partnerships we’ve built during my first term, we can get this done.”
Woodbury and his wife, Stacy, have two children attending elementary school in Carson City. Woodbury’s stepson, Noah Jennings, serves in the National Guard and attends the University of Nevada.
His campaign website is jasonwoodbury.com.