James Smith, the current FBI director in Houston, is expected to be named the next director of the New York FBI office, News 4 has learned.
In his nearly 20 years with the FBI, Smith has worked counter-terrorism and national security investigations, as well as helping to oversee cyber and surveillance programs. Before running the Houston FBI office, the nation’s 4th largest FBI office, Smith served in DC at FBI headquarters. He has also experience in the Los Angeles FBI field office.
In 2018, Smith helped oversee the investigation into serial bombings in Austin where hundreds of agents searched for the man behind the attacks that killed two and injured five. The suspect later killed himself when confronted by law enforcement.
Smith also has past experience in the FBI’s budget, human resources, administration, and infrastructure divisions.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
A Massachusetts native, Smith joined the FBI in 2004 and later spent several years investigating violent MS-13 gang members and other criminal groups. He will be the first Black man to head the New York FBI office.
Smith will take over as an FBI Assistant Director, replacing Mike Driscoll who is set to leave the NY FBI at the end of June to enter the private sector. Driscoll for years investigated Al Qaeda and other terror groups.
Driscoll was part of the team that investigated the 9/11 attacks as well as the terrorists responsible for the 1998 bombings of U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Driscoll helped in leading criminal and intelligence divisions in New York, and served overseas in London before taking over the New York FBI.
News
A formal announcement of Smith’s appointment to head the New York FBI office could be made early next week.
