E.W. Priestap named assistant director of the FBI counterintelligence division

FBI Director James Comey has named E.W. “Bill” Priestap as the assistant director of the Counterintelligence Division at FBI Headquarters (FBIHQ) in Washington, DC, the agency announced December 21. Priestap most recently served as the deputy assistant director of the Intelligence Operations Branch in the Directorate of Intelligence at FBIHQ.

Priestap entered on duty with the FBI in 1998, working organized crime and drug matters in the Chicago Division. Following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, Priestap focused on counterterrorism investigations in Chicago.

In 2003, Priestap was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Office of Congressional Affairs (OCA) at FBIHQ. While in OCA, he was detailed to the U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where he assisted with the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004.

In 2005, Priestap was appointed the special assistant to the assistant director of the Directorate of Intelligence at FBIHQ.

In 2006, Priestap was assigned to the New York Field Office, where he held counterterrorism and intelligence supervisory positions. He was then promoted to assistant special agent in charge, and he served in the Intelligence and the Counterintelligence Divisions of the New York Field Office.

In 2012, Priestap was promoted to section chief in the Counterintelligence Division at FBIHQ, and, in 2013, Priestap was named special agent in charge of the Counterintelligence Division in the New York Field Office.

Priestap is an attorney, and he holds master’s degrees in business administration and education administration.

Priestap reports to the Counterintelligence Division in early January.

Source: FBI