WASHINGTON (CNN) - At the moment attorneys for former Enron executive Jeffrey Skilling in Houston were blasting federal prosecutors for indicting Skilling on conspiracy and fraud charges, top federal law enforcement officials in Washington issued a joint written statement lauding their actions.

"This indictment marks an important milestone in the life of the president's Corporate Fraud Task Force," said Deputy Attorney General James Comey, who heads the unit.

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"Our investigators were able to cut through the maze of paperwork and financial trickery to get to the bottom of the scheme and charge Skilling, once the top executive at Enron, with fraud and other crimes that contributed to Enron's collapse," he added.

The assistant attorney general who oversees the Criminal Division, Christopher Wray, echoed the view.

"The indictment of Enron's CEO shows that we will follow the evidence wherever it leads -- even to the top of the corporate ladder," Wray said.

FBI Director Robert Mueller joined with the Justice Department leaders in hailing the indictment.

"The Enron Task Force's probe and today's indictment represent both a substantial step for justice and strong continued action on the part of the FBI's Corporate Fraud Initiative," Mueller said.

The three officials, along with SEC Enforcement Chief Steve Cutler, have scheduled a news conference at the Justice Department to detail the allegations against Skilling. (Click here for more on the charges.)