Joseph Demarest named Associate Executive Assistant Director for the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch

The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced May 1 that Director James Comey has named Joseph Demarest, Jr. to the newly established position of associate executive assistant director for the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch (CCRSB). Director Comey created the position to address the FBI’s growing and vital work in cyber and criminal investigations, international operations, critical incident response, and victim assistance. Most recently, Mr. Demarest served as assistant director of the FBI Cyber Division.

“In his new role, Joe will serve as chief operations officer for CCRSB—providing technical advice and guidance across its components while establishing and nurturing relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement and intelligence agencies,” said Director Comey. “With almost 30 years of FBI experience in investigative operations and national security matters, Joe brings a wealth of subject matter expertise to this new executive position.”

Mr. Demarest began his career at the FBI in 1988 as a special agent and was assigned to the Anchorage Division, where he investigated white-collar crime, drugs, violent crime, and foreign counterintelligence cases. In 1990, he transferred to the New York Office and was assigned to a Colombian drug squad. He was later promoted to squad supervisor and in 2000 was selected to serve as the drug branch’s acting assistant special agent in charge.

After 9/11, Mr. Demarest was selected as a shift commander for the PENTTBOM investigation. In that position, he led a task force of more than 400 federal, state, and local investigators from more than 40 agencies to address approximately 5,500 PENTTBOM-related investigative leads.

Mr. Demarest was promoted to unit chief at FBI Headquarters in 2002, where he served in the International Terrorism Operations Section (ITOS) within the Counterterrorism Division. In 2003, he served as section chief of ITOS until he was promoted to management positions in the International Terrorism Branch of the New York Office, ultimately becoming special agent in charge for counterterrorism. He served in that role until early 2008.

In January 2009, Mr. Demarest became the assistant director in charge of the New York Office, where he oversaw several major investigations, including Operation Highrise, the homegrown terror plot to attack the New York subway system; the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme; and the seizure of the MV Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates. In 2010, he returned to Headquarters as assistant director of the International Operations Division, and, in 2012, was appointed assistant director of the Cyber Division.

Source: FBI