Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks is pleased to announce that Chief Deputy District Attorney Luke Prengaman has been awarded the 2026 William J. Raggio Award. This annual recognition is presented by the Nevada Advisory Council for Prosecuting Attorneys and is given to a prosecutor who has contributed significantly to the improvement of the administration of justice in Nevada.
“If you wanted to build the prototype of what a prosecutor should be – intelligence, work ethic, integrity, toughness, judgment, humility, compassion, and an absolute commitment to justice – you would end up with Luke Prengaman,” said DA Hicks. “Judges trust Luke when he tells them what the law is. Prosecutors throughout Nevada trust him. That kind of reputation is earned one case, one argument, and one honest answer at a time. But what makes Luke special is that all of that intellect and skill comes without ego.”
Chief DDA Prengaman started at the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office in 1998. He worked his way from juvenile cases, to misdemeanors, to felonies, and ultimately to the Major Violators Unit, where he has served for 20 years, 13 years as its supervisor. Chief DDA Prengaman has also been on the Nevada Supreme Court’s Criminal Jury Instructions Subcommittee, starting as an original member in 2015, and is credited with rewriting, editing and providing the initial legal authority for each and every instruction prior to subcommittee editing.
“Luke Prengaman embodies the qualities that define the William J. Raggio Award: exceptional professionalism, statewide impact and a career devoted to strengthening Nevada’s justice system,” said Mark Jackson, Douglas County District Attorney, in his nomination of Mr. Prengaman. “His work on the Nevada Pattern Criminal Jury Instructions will influence criminal practice for decades to come and stands as one of the most significant contributions to Nevada criminal jurisprudence in a generation.”
The prestigious award honors the late William J. Raggio, former Washoe County District Attorney and State Senate Majority Leader, who was the inaugural award recipient in 1998. Prior Washoe County District Attorney Office recipients include Chief Jennifer Noble (2019), Judge and former Chief David Clifton (2017), former District Attorney Dick Gammick (2013), former District Attorney Larry Hicks (2011), former Chief Kristin Erickson (2007), and former District Attorney Mills B. Lane (2003).
