Neronha, 54, a Democrat, overwhelmed Alan Gordon, of the Compassion Party, to win his first seat in public office. With 99.8 percent of precincts reporting, Neronha had 79.8 percent of the vote.

“It feels good to have an opportunity to serve the public in Rhode Island again,” Neronha said.

Among his first goals will be building a strong team and increasing the office’s outreach in the community, he said.

Neronha led the U.S. Attorney’s office from 2009 through 2017. There, he oversaw a staff of 21 assistant U.S. Attorneys after being nominated to the post by President Barack Obama. He joined the office in 2002 after working six years as state prosecutor.

Throughout his tenure as U.S. Attorney, the office prosecuted a string of public corruption probes that took down former Democratic House Speaker Gordon Fox, three North Providence councilmen, former Central Falls Mayor Charles Moreau and onetime House Finance Committee Chairman Raymond E. Gallison Jr.

A native Rhode Islander, Neronha, of Jamestown, said he planned to continue focus on public corruption in the Ocean State.

He is married to Shelly Neronha, a doctor in southern Rhode Island. The couple has two sons.