James L. Turgal, Jr. Named Assistant Director of Human Resources Division

Director Robert S. Mueller, III has named James L. Turgal, Jr. assistant director of the FBI’s Human Resources Division. Mr. Turgal most recently served as acting assistant director for the division.

Mr. Turgal began his career as a special agent with the FBI in March 1996. He first reported to the Houston Division, where he primarily investigated drugs and organized crime. Mr. Turgal next reported to FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., first as a supervisory special agent in the Office of General Counsel and then in the Counterterrorism Division as the senior counsel for Domestic Terrorism Operations.

In 2002, Mr. Turgal transferred to the Cincinnati Division, where he served as chief division counsel, media spokesperson, and Counterterrorism supervisory special agent. He returned to FBI Headquarters in 2006 as unit chief of the Director’s Research Group, overseeing the preparation of the Director’s daily meeting, briefing, and presentation materials.

He was then promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Administrative Division at the Washington Field Office. While there, he oversaw hundreds of professional staff employees and was responsible for the financial management, daily operations, and administration of the second-largest field office.

In 2010, Mr. Turgal became special assistant to the deputy director, providing counsel on various national security, criminal, and administrative issues affecting the FBI. One year later, he was promoted to special agent in charge of the Phoenix Division. He oversaw several high-profile cases, including the investigations into the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others in Tucson, and the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Mr. Turgal returned to FBI Headquarters in March 2013 as deputy assistant director of the Human Resources Division.