Mark P. Pittella is the Deputy Director of the United States Marshals Service. Since July 2024, he has served as second in command of the nation’s first federal law enforcement agency, leading more than 5,000 operational and administrative employees, spanning 94 judicial districts, 218 domestic offices, and four foreign field offices. Mr. Pittella is also responsible for federal judicial security (including oversight of more than 5,000 contract court security officers), fugitive apprehension, witness security, asset forfeiture, and prisoner operations.
Since joining the USMS as a Deputy United States Marshal assigned to the District of Columbia, Superior Court in June 1997, Mr. Pittella has proven to be a key leader in the USMS for over two decades. In addition to serving as the Deputy Director, Mr. Pittella has also served as the USMS’ Associate Director for Operations, where he oversaw all USMS operational personnel, programs, and missions including Investigative Operations, Judicial and Witness Security, Prisoner Security and Transportation, Tactical Operations, and Dignitary Protection. Prior to his role as the Associate Director for Operations, he led the world-renowned Witness Security Division. Serving as its Assistant Director, Mr. Pittella provided programmatic oversight of the Witness Security Program, which has over 19,000 witnesses authorized for Program services since 1971.
Prior to his appointment to the Senior Executive Service as Assistant Director, Mr. Pittella served as Deputy Assistant Director and Chief Inspector to the Witness Security’s Division’s Headquarters Operations. As Chief Inspector to WSD’s International Operations, Mr. Pittella established and facilitated the cooperation between the USMS, Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Mexican Attorney General to create Witness Security training under the Merida Initiative in Mexico City. He oversaw and led trainings for the Plan Colombia Initiative, which took place in Bogota, Colombia, and conducted numerous cross-trainings with countries in Central America, Europe, and Mexico. In this role, Mr. Pittella also coordinated and led two international symposiums, both having over 50 countries in attendance and representing 6 continents.
Acting Director Pittella holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, and is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Managers in Government Program. Mr. Pittella has served as a member of the USMS’ Shooting Review Board and the USMS Museum Board of Directors. During his 28-year career with the USMS, Mr. Pittella has received the Director’s Distinguished Award, numerous Special Act Awards, and an Assistant Attorney General Award.