Stephen E. Richardson Named Special Agent in Charge of Mobile Division

Director Robert S. Mueller, III today named Stephen E. Richardson special agent in charge of the FBI’s Mobile Division. Mr. Richardson most recently served as an inspector with the Office of Inspections at FBI Headquarters (FBIHQ).

Mr. Richardson began his career with the FBI as a special agent in 1996. His first assignment was to the New Orleans Division, Lafayette Resident Agency, and later the Baton Rouge Resident Agency. In this role, he specialized in the investigation of white-collar crime, public corruption, hate crime, violent crime, and gang matters. Mr. Richardson formed the first organized task force in the Western District of Louisiana to combat the most violent criminal offenders in the region. He also served as a member of the SWAT team.

In 2002, Mr. Richardson was promoted to supervisory special agent of the Safe Street and Gang Unit, Criminal Investigative Division, FBIHQ. In 2003, he was assigned to the Counterterrorism Division as a program manager, where he supervised terrorism investigations throughout the eastern region of the United States. In 2004, he was promoted to unit chief of the FBI Counterterrorism Watch Center, where he oversaw threats made to the United States.

In 2005, Mr. Richardson reported to the Memphis Division, Nashville Resident Agency, as supervisory special agent. In this role, he oversaw the Criminal Enterprise/Violent Crime Squad and worked closely with the Cookeville, Clarksville, and Columbia Resident Agencies. He also managed the Joint Terrorism Task Force and helped to create a standalone cyber squad.

In 2009, Mr. Richardson was promoted to assistant special agent in charge of the Richmond Division’s Criminal, Cyber, and Administrative Programs and oversaw the Roanoke, Bristol, and Lynchburg Resident Agencies. In January 2011, Mr. Richardson was promoted to his most recent position as inspector with the Office of Inspections. In this role, he served as a member of the FBI’s Senior Executive Service in the Inspection Division.

Mr. Richardson is a native of East Tennessee. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from East Tennessee State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. From 1991 until 1996, Mr. Richardson served as a special agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), where he received both the TBI Medal of Valor and the TBI Employee of the Year awards.