FBI Special Agent in Charge James Tarasca retires after 1 year in Detroit
(CBS DETROIT) - FBI Special Agent in Charge James Tarasca retires after 24 years with the agency, his last year spent in Detroit.
Tarasca, who retires on June 30, was named chief of the Detroit office in April 2022, according to a press release. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Devin Kowalski will serve as acting chief. Information on a new special agent in charge has not been released.
During his time in Detroit, he oversaw the federal and state prosecutions of 10 men accused of being involved in the plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. He also led the office investigating sextortion, hate crimes, threats to schools and businesses and authorities' response to the deadly shooting at Michigan State University.
According to the FBI, Tarasca joined the agency as a special agent in 1999 and was assigned to the Orlando Resident Agency of Tampa Field to investigate white-collar crime. He was reassigned to investigate counterterrorism in Central Florida after the 9/11 attacks before he was selected in 2003 to the Hostage Rescue Team based in Quantico, Virginia.
He also worked in Philadelphia and New York, also going overseas to Iraq, Afghanistan, Europe and Eurasia.
Tarasca is the recipient of the FBI Director's Award for Excellence in Leadership, two FBI Sheilds of Bravery and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner's Commendation for Bravery.