Houston Field Division
Photo used under Creative Commons from flickr user Adam Baker
Welcome to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Houston Field Division website. The Houston Division includes all of Southern Texas from Del Rio, San Antonio, Waco and Austin over to Beaumont and down to Corpus Christi, McAllen and Laredo. Our dedicated employees are special agents, investigators, auditors, technicians and support staff.
ATF Houston is committed to reducing violent crime in our neighborhoods. We accomplish this by targeting specific criminal organizations, gun traffickers and violent offenders under Project Safe Neighborhoods, Project Gunrunner and the Violent Crime Impact Teams.
Explosives and arson enforcement is an integral part of ATF’s overall violent crime reduction strategy. ATF Houston special agents combat arson and explosives-related crimes by conducting independent investigations and by working in partnership with local and state fire investigators and police bomb squads.
ATF also has the duty of regulating the firearms and explosives industries. Our industry operations investigators work to ensure that all firearms and explosives are stored, handled and sold in a safe manner according to law.
Since Houston is the number one origination point of firearms recovered in crimes in Mexico, firearms trafficking is an investigative priority. Recently we detailed 100 agents, investigators and support staff for 120 days to Houston and the border with Mexico to combat firearms trafficking. The initiative, called Gunrunner Impact Teams (GRIT) was very successful resulting in hundreds of criminal investigations and over 1000 firearms dealer inspections.
We encourage all residents to get involved and assist us in our goal of reducing crime in our communities. Give us a call and let us know what we can do for you.
Dewey Webb
Division Management Team
- J. Dewey Webb
- Special Agent In Charge (SAC)
- Armando Salas
- Assistant Special Agent In Charge (ASAC)
- Robert Elder
- Assistant Special Agent In Charge (ASAC)
- Russel Vander Werf
- Director of Industry Operations (DIO)
- Franceska Perot
- Public Information Officer (PIO)
Division Contact Information
Receive Houston Press Release Updates
Laredo Police Officer and Co-Conspirator Plead Guilty to Cocaine Conspiracy
February 17, 2010
A Laredo Police Department (LPD) officer and a local man have pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today. More »
Operation Time Machine Nets Three in Port Arthur, Texas
February 10, 2010
U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that three Port Arthur, Texas men have pleaded guilty to firearms violations as a result of Operation Time Machine in the Eastern District of Texas. More »
Houston, Texas Explosives Detection Canine Helps Miami Prepare for Super Bowl XLIV
February 5, 2010
Not everyone participating in this year’s Super Bowl is a football player. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) have fielded their best players to help prepare for a safe and secure Super Bowl XLIV. These pros include ATF K-9 explosives detection teams that have been deployed to Miami from around the country. The K-9 teams are working side-by-side with other federal, state and local law-enforcement officers to keep the football teams and fans safe throughout this event. More »
Ten Starr County Residents Indicted for Lying to Buy Firearms
February 2, 2010
A 12-month investigation by special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has resulted in the indictment of 10 persons accused of lying to buy more than 60 firearms over a five-month period beginning in December 2008, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. More »
Silsbee Man Sentenced For Federal Gun Crimes
January 26, 2010
U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 38-year-old Silsbee, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas. More »
ATF National Response Team Activated to Investigate First Baptist Church Fire in Temple
January 21, 2010
The National Response Team (NRT) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with ATF special agents from the Austin Field Office have been activated by a request from the Temple Fire Department to investigate a fire at the First Baptist Church. The fire at the church, located at 102 West Barton, Temple, occurred on Jan. 19. More »