Press Release - August 29, 2005
| For Immediate Release Monday, August 29, 2005
Printable Copy (pdf)
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Contact: Charles Miller
(814) 532-4609 |
Department of Justice Installs New Director at the National
Drug Intelligence Center
Johnstown, PA – Mr. Michael F. Walther, a career federal drug
prosecutor, has been appointed today as the Director of the National
Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC), a component of the Department of
Justice, located on Washington Street in Johnstown, PA. As NDIC
Director, Mr. Walther oversees the production of strategic drug
intelligence for the counterdrug community.
Mr. Walther was formally sworn in as the 4th permanent
Director since the Center's inception in 1993 by Dr. Paul Corts,
Assistant Attorney General for Administration, U.S. Department of
Justice, in a commemorative ceremony with employees at the Center.
Mr. Stuart Nash, Associate Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department
of Justice, also participated in the ceremony. Colonel John
Hugya, USMC (Ret), Chief of Staff for Congressman John P. Murtha,
represented the Congressman.
Dr. Corts also acknowledged the work of Acting Director Martin
W. Pracht, who took the helm of NDIC 14 months ago on an interim
basis until a new Director was found. Mr. Pracht finished his tenure
with NDIC upon Mr. Walther's appointment today. Dr. Corts indicated
that during this transition period for NDIC, Mr. Pracht tirelessly
oversaw the work of the center and served steadfastly to maintain
NDIC's intelligence production capacity.
Mr. Walther comes to NDIC after serving as the Acting Chief of
the Department of Justice Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section in
Washington, DC. In that capacity, he supervised senior Department
of Justice trial attorneys engaged in the investigation, coordination
and prosecution of major domestic and international narcotics trafficking
organizations.
As Mr. Nash introduced Mr. Walther to the employees of NDIC,
Mr. Nash commented on the many qualifications that Mr. Walther brings
to his new position, including his experience with managing narcotic
investigations, his work with the Special Operations Division of
the Department of Justice, and his role on the Organized Crime Drug
Enforcement Task Force while serving as Assistant U.S. Attorney
for the Eastern District of Louisiana (New Orleans) from 1995-1999,
where he successfully prosecuted a series of high-profile cases
targeting violent, drug trafficking organizations. Mr. Walther also
distinguished himself as a commissioned officer and judge advocate
in the U.S. Air Force where he served as a Special Assistant U.S.
Attorney for the District of Columbia from 1990-1991.
Mr. Walther stated in remarks to the NDIC staff that he looks
forward to the Center continuing to serve as a source for the latest
strategic intelligence about criminal trends around the country
and making a valuable contribution to support our nation's efforts
to counter the scourge of narcotics trafficking and abuse. Mr. Walther
also commented that he and his family look forward to becoming a
part of the Johnstown community.
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