United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ST. LOUIS – Todd L. Zimmerman became the Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s St. Louis Division on Jan. 31, 2021.

Zimmerman replaces William J. Callahan, who retired in November 2020. He most recently served as the Associate Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Houston Division.

In the St. Louis position, Zimmerman oversees the DEA’s enforcement, intelligence, administrative and regulatory activities throughout Missouri, Kansas, and Southern Illinois. The St. Louis Division is comprised of nine offices and approximately 300 Special Agents, Diversion Investigators, Intelligence Analysts, Task Force Officers, professional staff and contractors.

The Division has seen violence unprecedented in recent history, which Zimmerman expects to continue to address. “Violence is an essential element of drug trafficking. The surge of violent crime in many of our great American cities is unacceptable and cannot be left unchecked,” he said. “DEA plays a vital role in combatting violent crime by targeting drug trafficking organizations who employ violence and intimidation to further their criminal enterprise. Our agents, working alongside our state, local, and federal counterparts, will bring additional resources and specialized investigative skills to help reduce violent crime plaguing so many communities in the St. Louis Division.”

For this Midwestern DEA division, methamphetamine, fentanyl and opioids are the primary drug threats. “These brutal drugs are linked to violent crime, and are responsible for far too many fatal overdoses,” Zimmerman noted. “There are three components to battling the drug crisis throughout the St. Louis Division and the nation, and that is law enforcement, diversion control and community outreach. I believe it is vital that local, state and federal law enforcement work together to dismantle drug trafficking organizations while engaging with the health community.”

In addition to Texas, Zimmerman’s 22-year career has included assignments in New York, Bogotá, Chicago, DEA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and Denver.