DEA's Ray Donovan appointed to lead New York's division, officials say

Ray Donovan is a New York City native with a... — Ray Donovan is a New York City native with a degree in criminal justice from St. John's University in Queens. Credit: DEA

By Robert E. KesslerRobert.Kessler@newsday.comDecember 13, 2018

The Drug Enforcement Administration agent who oversaw the operation that led to the capture of alleged drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera has been appointed head of the New York division, agency officials said.

Ray Donovan, a New York City native who graduated with a degree in criminal justice from St. John’s University, will lead the division that is responsible for the federal prosecution of illegal drug trafficking in New York State, including Long Island and New York City, the agency said in a statement.

Donovan joined the DEA as a special agent in the agency’s New York Drug Task Force, after beginning his law enforcement career in October 1995 in San Diego where he served two years as a Border Patrol agent.

In June 2006, Donovan was promoted to a group supervisor in the New York office, working with New York City and State Police on an initiative that seized millions of dollars from drug organizations that were involved in the collection and laundering of drug proceeds, the agency said.

Donovan was next assigned in September 2012 to the DEA’s Special Operations Division based in Virginia that coordinated a multiagency effort aimed at national and international narco-terrorism organizations. His section dealt with such organizations in Mexico, Central America and Canada, the agency said.

In February 2015, Donovan was promoted to Section Chief where “he oversaw the operation that resulted in the capture” of El Chapo in Mexico, the agency said.

Guzman is currently on trial in Brooklyn federal court for allegedly running a $14 billion cocaine-trafficking empire through violence and intimidation.

In April 2016, Donovan returned to New York where he has been named to a number of high-ranking supervisory posts until his selection as head of the DEA's New York division, the agency said.