B. Todd Jones was confirmed by the U.S. Senate for the position of Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on July 31, 2013. President Barack Obama formally nominated Jones for the position on Jan. 24, 2013.
The ATF Director is responsible for the unique law enforcement agency within the U.S. Department of Justice with the responsibility for enforcing firearms and explosives laws that protect communities from violent criminals and criminal organizations.
Prior to his confirmation, Jones served as the acting ATF director since being appointed to the post on Aug. 31, 2011 by Attorney General Eric Holder.
Jones served as both ATF Acting Director and U.S. Attorney until his confirmation as ATF Director. Prior to becoming a U.S. Attorney in 2009, Jones was a partner with a major national law firm in Minneapolis, where his practice focused on complex business litigation. He represented a number of organizations and individuals in criminal and civil regulatory matters.
Jones is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He also has served as special counsel to various boards of public and privately held companies. In that capacity, he led internal investigations and provided guidance on compliance and governance issues.
Jones has held the position of United States Attorney twice in his career. President Clinton first appointed him in 1998, and he served until January 2001. Earlier in his career, Jones also was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Minnesota. During his initial tenure as a federal prosecutor, he conducted grand jury investigations and was the lead trial lawyer in a number of federal prosecutions that involved drug trafficking, financial fraud, firearms, and violent crime.
Jones received his Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1983 and his B.A. from Macalester College in 1979. Following admission to the Minnesota bar, he went on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, where he was an infantry officer with the First Marine Division and, subsequently, both a trial defense counsel and prosecutor in a number of court martial proceedings.
In 1989, he left active duty and returned to Minnesota with his family. He was recalled to active duty in 1991, during Operation Desert Storm and was stationed at Camp Pendleton California until the cessation of hostilities.