Ralph Boelter Named Assistant Director in Charge of Los Angeles Division

Director Robert S. Mueller, III has named Ralph S. Boelter assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Division. Mr. Boelter most recently served as the assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division.

Mr. Boelter began his career as a special agent with the FBI in July 1991. He first reported to the Boston Division and investigated white-collar crime, violent crime, and criminal enterprise cases.

In December 1997, he was promoted and transferred to the Criminal Investigative Division at FBI Headquarters, where he oversaw many of the Bureau’s violent crime and fugitive investigations.

He transferred to the Los Angeles Division in March 2000 to supervise the Violent Crime and Criminal Enterprise squad in the Long Beach Resident Agency. Mr. Boelter later served as acting assistant special agent in charge of the Violent Crime and Criminal Enterprise Branch in November 2001 and was officially named to the position in January 2003.

In April 2005, Mr. Boelter was assigned to help direct the sensitive investigation of the unauthorized disclosure of CIA Agent Valerie Plame Wilson’s covert identity.

He returned to FBI Headquarters in September 2005 when he was promoted to inspector; he led inspection teams in comprehensive assessments of FBI offices around the world.

Mr. Boelter was appointed special agent in charge of the Minneapolis Division in December 2006. He managed high-profile investigations, including the Thomas Petters $3.6 billion corporate fraud case and the priority counterterrorism matter involving the recruitment of several Somali-American men in support of the Somalia-based terrorist organization al Shabaab.

Mr. Boelter received the 2010 Presidential Rank Award for sustained meritorious performance as a senior executive. In April 2011, Mr. Boelter was appointed deputy assistant director of the newly formed Strategic Operations Branch in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters.

In September 2011, he assumed the responsibilities of acting assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division until December 2011, when he was formally appointed to the position.

Mr. Boelter is a native of Wisconsin and is married with one daughter.