Sean Joyce Named Assistant Director of International Operations Division

Sean Joyce has been named assistant director of the FBI’s International Operations Division (IOD). Director Robert S. Mueller, III appointed him to this position to replace assistant director Tom Fuentes, who retired.

“The International Operations Division’s scope of responsibilities is greater than ever, given the importance that relationships with international law enforcement partners and other parts of the government hold to our overall national security mission,” said Director Mueller. “Sean’s knowledge and his experience in criminal and national security matters make him an excellent fit for the job.”

Mr. Joyce entered on duty as an FBI special agent in 1987. Following the completion of training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, he was assigned to the Dallas Division, Fort Worth Resident Agency (RA), where he investigated violent crimes. He later investigated Colombian narcotics matters in the Miami Division, where he also served as a member of the Hostage Rescue Team.

In 1998, he returned to the Dallas Division as a SWAT team leader. He was designated the supervisory senior resident agent for the Fort Worth RA in 2002, with responsibility for the RA’s Counterterrorism Squad, which earned the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in 2004. The very next year, Mr. Joyce received the same award for his work in another counterterrorism matter.

Mr. Joyce was designated legal attaché to Prague in August 2005, and in 2007, received an award for Investigative Excellence for his work there. In 2007, he was assigned to the Washington Field Office as an assistant special agent in charge. The following year he was named section chief of the Counterterrorism Division’s International Terrorism Operations Section, with responsibility for international terrorism matters within the United States.

He has served as the deputy assistant director of IOD since February 2009. In his role as AD, he will be responsible for more than 600 employees in 75 foreign and domestic locations. IOD leads the FBI’s international mission to defeat national security and criminal threats by building a global network of trusted partners and strengthening the FBI’s international capabilities.

A Boston native, he holds degrees from Boston College and Dartmouth’s Amos Tuck School of Business.