December 23, 2021

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today that a key member of her executive staff who has overseen diversion programs, grand jury and the review of police use-of-force cases will become her new Chief Deputy Prosecutor.

Dion Sankar replaces longtime Chief Deputy Daniel Nelson, who is moving to private practice in a Kansas City law firm.

“Dion has contributed immeasurably to the success of the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office,” Baker said. “He’s distinguished himself through his heavy involvement in numerous difficult violent crime cases, including a triple murder that included an infant victim. What’s more, Dion has also expanded our diversion programs and strengthened our reviews and resulting actions in police use-of-force cases.”

Baker also praised Nelson for his contributions to the office since coming to Jackson County in 2016. Nelson previously served for 12 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for Western Missouri where he tried cases to juries and represented the United States in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. The Missouri Bar Foundation recognized Nelson in 2014 with the Lon Hocker Award for trial excellence. Nelson is a graduate of the MU School of Journalism and the University of Virginia School of Law. 

“I’m excited for Dan to extend his legal talents to another part of our profession,” Baker said. “Dan is an asset to anyone he works with. I’m sure he will achieve great things there.”

Sankar, a member of Baker’s executive staff since 2015, is an assistant prosecuting attorney and program manager for the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office’s Drug Court Program. Sankar managed the expansion of Jackson County’s diversion programs, including Jackson County Treatment Court. He also coordinated grand jury proceedings and supervised conviction integrity case reviews. Before joining Jackson County, Sankar served in the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, where he defended civil claims filed against the state and the Kansas City MO. Police Department. He worked from 2011 to 2014 in the McCallister Law Firm in Kansas City. Sankar is a graduate of Hofstra University School of Law in New York. Sankar moved to Kansas City in 2011.

Sankar will be sworn in as Chief Deputy Prosecutor soon after Jan. 3, 2022.