Illinois native with more than 2 decades of international, domestic law enforcement experience selected to lead HSI Chicago
CHICAGO — R. Sean Fitzgerald has been selected as the special agent in charge (SAC) for the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago area of operations. A native of Illinois who has also served as HSI Chicago’s deputy SAC, Fitzgerald brings a wealth of international and domestic operations experience to his new position.
He began his federal law enforcement career as a special agent in Chicago in 2002, and in 2010, he transferred to the Office of International Affairs and served as an HSI representative with the HSI Attaché in Mexico City. During this assignment, Fitzgerald primarily focused on transnational crime related to narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
Fitzgerald finished his assignment with the HSI Attaché in Mexico City in 2012 and returned home to HSI Chicago as the group supervisor for the Financial Investigations Group. Following three years in that role, he transitioned to serving as an operations manager within HSI Domestic Operations at HSI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Fitzgerald then went on to serve in other capacities within Domestic Operations, including as special assistant to the deputy assistant director and acting operations chief.
In 2017, Fitzgerald was promoted to assistant special agent in charge for HSI Chicago. The division he oversaw included the Chicago Narcotics Group, the Undercover Operations Group and the Financial Investigations Group. During his tenure, he also provided leadership to the Human Trafficking Group and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Group.
In his new role, Fitzgerald will lead HSI Chicago’s senior leadership team in overseeing investigative, analytical and administrative operations throughout HSI Chicago’s area of responsibility, which includes five offices and two posts of duty located throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
“HSI Chicago has a complex mission, and I couldn’t be prouder to join this team of stellar law enforcement professionals,” said Fitzgerald. “Having worked with the special agents, victim assistance specialist, intelligence analyst and a multitude of other professionals assigned to this area of operations, I have seen firsthand the impact they make to public safety each and every day. There is no place that I’d rather serve my community in this capacity than amongst the professionals at HSI Chicago and our law enforcement partners here.”
Sean earned a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement and justice administration from Western Illinois University in 1998 and has been selected to serve as a member of the Senior Executive Service.
HSI is a directorate of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 6,800 special agents assigned to 225 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’ largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
Learn more about HSI’s mission in your community on Twitter @HSIChicago.
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