Gustavo D. Lopez

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Domestic Operations (DO) is responsible for managing, directing, and coordinating all investigative activities within HSI's 235 domestic field offices, entry level recruitment and hiring, and Public Affairs / Strategic Communications

• Supervise first- and second-line supervisory personnel within HSIs Domestic Operations, ensuring the workflow is executed timely, efficiently, and costly
• Programmatic oversight of over 40 personnel and managed a budget over $1 million dollars
• Manage and work with HSI's recruitment and entry level placement of new hires to ensure the HSI workforce was contemporary and fulfilling the agency’s needs
• Work with HSIs Strategic Communications to ensure the Agency was being highlighted and branded professionally in furtherance of the HSI mission

• As a HSI Criminal Investigator, I have held numerous leadership positions, to include, HSI Headquarters roles with International Operations as an Operations Chief over Asia and the Middle East; Unit Chief of the Combatant Commands Liaison Unit; Global Trade Division/Unit Chief over the Counter-proliferation Investigations Unit (CPI) and the Export Enforcement Coordination Center (E2C2); and field leadership roles as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) HSI San Diego; Resident Agent in Charge (RAC), HSI Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Group Supervisor, HSI Los Angeles
• Throughout my managerial roles, I have been tasked with overseeing teams of government and non-government employees, working with the interagency, supporting and establishing national programs that enhance strategic goals and Agency priorities, and handling the day-to-day operations and administrative needs of sub-components
• Established and managed large-scale trainings and outreach portfolios catered towards the private and public sector
• For example, while with CPI/E2C2, oversaw an international interagency training budget of over $500 thousand dollars
• Spearheaded the interagency E2C2 private/public working groups and trainings for law enforcement and industry representatives
• In both headquarters and field leadership roles, I have been charged with handling robust budgets for field investigative work, national programs, domestic and international trainings, and charged with enhancing national programs
• For example, in 2022 and while with CPI, I was responsible for $24 million budget enhancement to stand up a strategic investigations unit in Huntsville, Alabama
• This new Unit was successfully stood up under my leadership
• Recruited and hired individuals for positions within my purview for vacancies throughout HSI
• Throughout my career, I have conducted several large-scale investigations of state and Federal violations of the United States Codes
• This entailed conducting computer indices checks and analyzing data received, drafting, issuing and reviewing subpoenas and summons, preparing search warrant affidavits for physical and digital evidence, conducting interviews of witnesses and defendants, preparing report of investigations, and testifying before the Grand Jury and in a court of law
• One such investigation, dubbed Operation Fashion Police, led to record breaking cash seizures and indictments for trade-based money laundering in Los Angeles, CA
• Enforcement actions at over 50 locations and cash seizures over $80 million dollars were executed in one day
• Leading to Operation Fashion Police receiving the 2014 HSI Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement
• This experience has led to several other successful investigations in the areas of Financial, Narcotics, Human Smuggling / Trafficking, Export / Customs violations, OFAC Sanctions and National Security and Cyber related cases
• It has also led to establishing working relationships with the interagency, DoD, DCSA, ATF, Commerce, DoS, DEA, USSS and the FBI
• Certified Fact Finder. Conduct interviews pursuant to allegations of misconduct by employees and contractors
• I also prepare reports of investigations in accordance with Federal rules based on my fact-finding mission