In 2000, Bentley joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. In July 2013 when U.S. Attorney Robert E. O'Neill resigned to take a position in the private sector with the Freeh Group,[7] Bentley became the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. He was formally nominated by PresidentBarack Obama in June 2014 on the bi-partisan recommendation of Florida's U.S. Senators, Republican Marco Rubio and Democrat Bill Nelson.[8] Bentley was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 16, 2014.[8]
In July 2016, Bentley's office charged Democratic CongresswomanCorrine Brown of Florida with 24 counts of federal corruption, accusing Brown and her Chief of Staff Ronnie Simmons of using Brown's position in Congress to solicit more than $800,000 for what federal prosecutors call a "sham education charity."[9] In February 2017, Simmons pleaded guilty to federal charges and agreed to testify against Brown at her upcoming trial.[10]
^Hubbell, Martindale (2000). Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory: District of Columbia, U.S. Government Lawyers, State Bar Association Profiles, Law Schools. Martindale-Hubbell. ISBN9781561603992.
Video: A. Lee Bentley III, U.S. Attorney Middle District of Florida discusses Brevard coaches' arrests on drug charges, FloridaToday.com (part of USA Today). Retrieved March 11, 2017.