Faculty Profile: Ronald Appel Jr.

Ronald J. Appel, Jr. is the acting assistant special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations’ seven offices in Tennessee and Kentucky, which includes Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Louisville, Bowling Green, and Northern Kentucky.  Prior to this assignment Mr. Appel served as the resident agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations’ Chattanooga office.  Mr. Appel has 25 years of law enforcement experience. Mr. Appel has held a number of key positions within Homeland Security Investigations, including section chief for the Contraband Smuggling, Border Enforcement Security Taskforce (BEST), and Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Taskforce (OCDETF) units at HSI headquarters in Washington, D.C. 

Mr. Appel began his law enforcement career as a deputy sheriff with the Broward Sheriff’s Office in South Florida before joining the Royal Palm Beach Police Department where Mr. Appel served as a police officer and detective.  Mr. Appel began his federal law enforcement career as a special agent with the U.S. Customs Service in Sells, Arizona.  Mr. Appel graduated Summa Cum Laude from Champlain College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Forensics and Digital Investigations.