SWANTON, Vt. – On May 24, U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney S. Scott selected Richard J. Fortunato as the new Deputy Chief Patrol Agent for the Swanton Sector. Deputy Chief Fortunato assumed the second in command position of the Sector on July 18.
Deputy Chief Fortunato began his career with the U. S. Border Patrol on January 8, 1997 as a member of Class 327 and was assigned to the McAllen, Texas Station. Deputy Chief Fortunato has also held a variety of leadership positions within key assignments of the U. S. Border Patrol to include both the Northern and Southern Borders. Additionally, he served in several assignments at the U.S. Border Patrol Headquarters, Washington, D.C. Deputy Chief Fortunato also served as the commander of the U. S. Border Patrol’s National Pipe and Drum Team and received the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Unit Citation.
Prior to joining the U.S. Border Patrol, Deputy Chief Fortunato was a law enforcement officer in the State of Colorado. Deputy Chief Fortunato also served in the U.S. Navy Reserve achieving the rank of Chief Petty Officer and retired after 22 years of service.
For more on Customs and Border Protection’s mission at our nation’s ports of entry with CBP officers and along U.S. borders with Border Patrol agents, please visit the Border Security section of the CBP website.
Richard J. Fortunato.