Wing Chau was nominated by President Donald J. Trump to serve as the 33rd United States Marshal for the District of Rhode Island. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 11, 2019 and was sworn in by Chief Judge William Smith for the United States District Court of Rhode Island on May 13, 2019.
Marshal Chau is the first Chinese American United States Marshal. As Marshal, he is responsible for United States Marshals Service operations in the District's five counties, encompassing over twelve hundred square miles of land and a population of over one million people. He is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the District, with the District's Headquarters located in Providence, Rhode Island. Additionally, he leads and directs operations that includes the security and protection of the United States Courts and its judges, criminal investigations, fugitive apprehension, execution of federal court orders and other law enforcement activities.
Prior to his appointment, Marshal Chau was a Senior Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). He began his law enforcement career in 1989 as a Capitol Police Officer for the State of Rhode Island. In 1994, he joined Federal law enforcement with the United States Border Patrol and was assigned to the San Diego Border Patrol Sector in California, along the United States/Mexico border. He then joined the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was assigned to the Los Angeles Field Division. In addition to California, Marshal Chau did tours of duty nationwide to include Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Headquarters in Washington, DC. He served as Acting Resident Agent in Charge of the Rhode Island Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office during 9/11 and Acting Resident Agent in Charge of the Vermont Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives office. He has served on protection details that included Presidential and Foreign Dignitary protections.
During his 25 year career as an Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent, Marshal Chau has taken part in countless clandestine assignments that included murder-for-hire, human, drug and arms trafficking. He has conducted a wide range of criminal investigations that included organized crime members, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), T-III wiretaps, violent gang activity, armed home invasions, violent felon criminals and domestic and international terrorist organizations. Marshal Chau helped in the effort to track and apprehend the Boston Marathon bomber in 2013.
Marshal Chau holds an Associate's Degree in Computers from the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) and a Bachelor's Degree in Computers from Rhode Island College (RIC).