Richard Hernandez

Mr. Hernandez has more than thirty-five years of experience with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he served as an Intelligence Analyst, Special Agent, and Supervisory Special Agent. His career included leadership roles across counterintelligence, human intelligence, organized crime, narcotics trafficking, gang investigations, critical infrastructure protection, and interagency operations.

He began his FBI career in the Los Angeles Field Office as an Intelligence Analyst assigned to multi-agency drug intelligence and organized crime task forces. He later became a Special Agent, working major investigations targeting the major Mexican drug cartels. He served as case agent on numerous Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigations that resulted in arrests, seizures, and the dismantlement of significant trafficking networks. One of those investigations, Operation Phantom Express, was recognized by the California Narcotics Officers Association as a case of the year.

Mr. Hernandez later served at FBI Headquarters on the MS-13 National Gang Task Force, where he managed programs across the western United States, coordinated with vetted task forces in Central America, and supported FBI training for foreign law enforcement partners. In Atlanta, he supervised drug strike force and human intelligence squads supporting criminal, cyber, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and national security programs. His team was recognized by FBI Headquarters as a high-performing intelligence program and was nominated for a Director’s Award for Intelligence Operations.

From 2019 to 2025, Mr. Hernandez conducted counterintelligence investigations focused on China and foreign adversary targeting of the U.S. Government, research institutions, and critical infrastructure. He also served as FBI coordinator for InfraGard Atlanta, supporting information-sharing and security programs for private-sector and critical infrastructure partners.