ATF Welcomes New Special Agent In Charge of the Los Angeles Field Division

LOS ANGELES­, April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Steven J. Bogdalek has been named the new Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Los Angeles Field Division, which encompasses the southern portion of the state of California.

Bogdalek began his career with ATF in 1987 as a Special Agent in Detroit and most recently served as the Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) of the St. Paul Field Division. 

"I am pleased to lead the ATF Los Angeles Field Division in its continued effort of combating violent crime," said Bogdalek. "We will continue to actively engage in the disruption of individual's criminal use of firearms, explosives, and a host of other illegal activity with our state and local partners."         

He spent several years assigned to an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, (OCDETF), which was responsible for investigating and dismantling dozens of violent drug organizations on the east and west sides of Detroit for various narcotic and firearm violations.

He was promoted to the Resident Agent in Charge (RAC) of the ATF Field Office in Toledo, Ohio in 1998.  In addition to leading special agents in conducting criminal investigations of violent gang members, firearms traffickers and explosives investigations, he was instrumental in forging working relationships with state and local law enforcement, county prosecutors and the United States Attorney's Office.

In 2000, Bogdalek was assigned as the Branch Chief of the Firearms Enforcement Branch in the ATF headquarters in Washington, D.C.  He was responsible for reviewing and monitoring the agency's significant firearms investigations for emerging criminal trends nationally and internationally.  He had direct oversight of ATF programs that monitored illegal firearms trafficking investigations, interstate theft of firearms, the importation of machineguns, and the administrative oversight of licensed federal firearms dealers. He worked directly with the National Shooting Sports Foundation in developing and implementing the "Don't Lie for the Other Guy" program which assists licensed firearms dealers in detecting and deterring the illegal purchase of firearms.

Bogdalek was promoted to the Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the St. Paul Field Division in 2002, overseeing five criminal enforcement groups and one intelligence group in a three-state area.  In St. Paul Field Division his groups were instrumental in the investigation, arrest and conviction of numerous violent street gangs.  In 2008 he was appointed as the ATF On-Scene-Commander for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.  He worked jointly with the U. S. Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the development and implementation of the explosive device mitigation plan to be used during the event.

Bogdalek is a native of Chicago. He played four years of football for Michigan State University and was selected to the All Big 10 team in 1986. During the 1986 National Football League draft he was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as an offensive lineman.   Bogdalek, his wife, and their four sons, look forward to becoming part of the ATF Los Angeles Field Division family.

More information on ATF and its programs can be found at http://www.atf.gov/.

Contact: Christian Hoffman, Special Agent – PIO
Office: (818) 265-2507
Cell: (213) 216-3622
[email protected]

SOURCE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives