August 22, 2014

Eric Vélez-Villar Named Executive Assistant Director of Intelligence Branch

Director James B. Comey named Eric Vélez-Villar executive assistant director (EAD) of the FBI’s Intelligence Branch. Mr. Vélez most recently served as assistant director of the Directorate of Intelligence (DI).

“One of my highest priorities is to continue the intelligence transformation of the FBI and integrate intelligence and operations,” Director Comey said. The position of EAD of the Intelligence Branch is to ensure this intelligence transformation and integration occurs throughout the organization.

Mr. Vélez entered on duty with the FBI in 1985 in the San Juan Division. He later became a special agent in 1992 and was assigned to the San Antonio Division, where he worked organized crime and drug matters. Mr. Vélez returned to the San Juan Division, where he investigated public corruption cases.

He returned as a supervisory special agent at FBI Headquarters in 2000, where he was detailed to the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Special Operations Division. Mr. Vélez coordinated major drug trafficking investigations throughout the U.S.

In 2002, he transferred to the Los Angeles Division. He supervised organized crime investigations, drug matters, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Then, in 2004, he was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Los Angeles Division’s counterterrorism program.

Two years later, Mr. Vélez was promoted to deputy director of the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center in Washington, D.C. In 2007, Mr. Vélez was appointed as the first special agent in charge of the Los Angeles Division’s newly created Intelligence Division. He later served as the deputy assistant director of the DI’s Intelligence Operations Branch at FBI Headquarters from 2009 to 2012 until he was promoted to assistant director of the DI.

Mr. Vélez was an award recipient for the 2008 Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. In 2011, President Obama conferred on Mr. Vélez the rank of Distinguished Executive in the Senior Executive Service, the highest award for career senior executives in the federal government.