New ICE HSI Dallas chief committed to increasing law enforcement partnerships to enhance public safety

DALLAS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced the appointment of Ryan L. Spradlin as the special agent in charge to head the HSI Dallas office, which oversees six offices in 128 counties in North Texas and the state of Oklahoma.

Spradlin’s primary goal in his new position is to increase public awareness of HSI and its capabilities. He also looks forward to increasing partnerships with law enforcement agencies to help keep Texas and Oklahoma residents safer.

Before arriving in Dallas in August, Spradlin previously served as the special agent in charge of the HSI San Francisco office beginning in 2015.  In this position he was well-known for being tough on crime, stressing the need to prioritize public safety over politics; he was frequently asked to speak on combatting crime/victim advocacy.

Spradlin was born in the Panama Canal Zone and raised in San Diego, California. He began his federal government career as a special agent with the former U.S. Customs Service where he worked on complex investigations ranging from international drug smuggling and money laundering to counter-terrorism.  In addition to San Francisco, he has held positions in Atlanta, Washington DC, and New Orleans.

Spradlin holds a master’s degree in education/multicultural counseling from San Diego State University, and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from San Jose State University. He is a member of the federal government’s Senior Executive Service.

Homeland Security Investigations is the U.S. government’s second largest investigative agency and is a vital asset in combating criminal organizations illegally exploiting America’s travel, trade, financial and immigration systems. HSI’s workforce includes special agents, criminal research analysts, auditors and support staff. Its men and women are assigned to cities throughout the United States and more than 60 offices in more than 40 countries. HSI’s international force is the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative presence abroad and gives HSI one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

HSI has broad legal authority to enforce a diverse array of federal statutes, including:

• financial crimes, money laundering and bulk cash smuggling;
• commercial fraud and intellectual property theft;
• cybercrimes;
• human rights violations;
• human smuggling and human trafficking;
• employment of unauthorized workers, and document and benefit fraud;
• narcotics and weapons smuggling/trafficking;
• transnational gang activity;
• export enforcement; and,
• international art and antiquity theft.