Austin Berrier

 

Austin Berrier has been a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) since January 2003. Special Agent Berrier has been assigned to both the Los Angeles, California and
Phoenix, Arizona field offices. During his time with HSI Special Agent Berrier has investigated commercial fraud, maritime smuggling, contraband smuggling and criminal street gangs. He has been assigned to Crimes Against Children since January 2011. During that time Special Agent Berrier has conducted both traditional and undercover online investigations across a broad spectrum of platforms such as peer-to-peer, social media, file-sharing and video conferencing software. Special Agent Berrier is a recipient of the 2018 Assistant Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for Project Mercury, a 3 ½ year online undercover investigation that has led to the arrest and/or indictment of over 200 child predators globally, the identification of over two dozen victims of contact abuse and the safeguarding of nearly 6o additional children prior to abuse occurring. Special Agent Berrier has presented and instructed on live-streaming investigations both within the U.S. at the Atlanta and Dallas ICAC as well as Internationally in Canada and at EUROPOL and INTERPOL. Prior to his employment with the U.S. Government, Special Agent Berrier spent five years in municipal policing with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office and four years as Military Policemen in the United States Marine Corps assigned to Security Company, HMX-1 (Marine One), Presidential Helicopter Squadron. Special Agent Berrier earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from Virginia Tech.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s of Science, History at Virginia Tech

 

WORK EXPERIENCE:

 

2003 – Present: Special Agent

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assigned to HSI Phoenix Cyber Crimes Unit since January 2010. Investigates Federal and State violations in regards to the online sexual exploitation of children. Conducts domestic and international child exploitation investigations in both traditional and undercover manner, to include; peer-to-peer, online-enticement, file-sharing and video- conferencing based platforms. Conducts online fraud, identity theft and cryptocurrency investigations targeting trans-national organizations through traditional and undercover investigative means. Previous assignments include trans-national gang investigations, maritime narcotics and contraband smuggling and long-term undercover operations in regards to Asian organized crime.

1998 – 2003: Deputy Sheriff, Patrol Division

Bedford County Sheriff’s Office Assigned to Patrol Division, with collateral duties of Tactical Response Team and Lake Patrol. Enforced and investigated violations of the Code of Virginia, to include traffic laws, criminal violations, fish and game codes and civil violations.

1993 – 1997: Corporal (E-4), Military Police

United States Marine Corps, HMX-1 (Marine One) Assigned to Security Company, HMX-1, Presidential Helicopter Squadron (Marine One). Performed duties of watch commander, overseeing and coordinating the physical security of Executive Branch assets and facilities in the National Capital Region. Deployed domestically and internationally in support of the Presidential mission and coordinated security needs with U.S. and foreign law enforcement and security agencies.

1991 – 1991: Intern at Central Intelligence Agency

Assigned to a public facing office with the Central Intelligence Agency. Performed various clerical and offices duties, prepared reports to be distributed to the public and assisted permanent staff with preparing joint Government-Private Sector projects.

 

CERTIFICATIONS:

 

• Customs Basic Enforcement School – 2003
  Graduate of CBES, the legacy U.S. Customs Basic Investigator Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
• Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) – 2003
  Graduate of CITP, the U.S. Government’s Criminal Investigator Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center
• Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services – 1998
  Graduate of the Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy and certified Police Officer
• United States Marine Corps Military Police Academy – 1993
  Graduate of the United States Marine Corps Military Police Academy

 

SPEAKER AND INSTRUCTOR EXPERIENCE:

 

• Dallas Internet Crimes Against Children Conference – Live-streaming investigations – August 2019
• Atlanta Internet Crimes Against Children Conference – Live-streaming investigations – June 2019
• Dallas Internet Crimes Against Children Conference – Live-streaming investigations – August 2018
• Atlanta Internet Crimes Against Children Conference – Live-streaming investigations – June 2018
• 35th INTERPOL Specialists Group on Crimes Against Children – Live streaming and online video-conferencing investigations. – November 2017
• Dallas Internet Crimes Against Children Conference – Live-streaming investigations – August 2017
• Atlanta Internet Crimes Against Children Conference – Live-streaming investigations – June 2017
• Winnipeg Canadian Centre for Child Protection Missing and Exploited Children Conference – Live-streaming case study – May 2017
• Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Conference – Live streaming investigations and case study – April 2017
• Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Commander’s Conference – Live streaming and video conferencing investigations – January 2017
• 34th INTERPOL Specialists Group on Crimes Against Children, Undercover Investigations Subcommittee – Live-streaming Case study – November 2016
• 11th Annual Provincial Strategy Multidisciplinary Training Workshop – Multinational live- streaming case study – October 2016
• EUROPOL Community of Expertise Covert Internet Investigations Related

 

TRAININGS:

 

• Advanced Griffeye and Photo DNA (Course-Phoenix – June 2020)
• Internet Crimes Against Children (Conference – Dallas – August 2019)
• Internet Crimes Against Children (Conference – Atlanta – June 2019)
• 36th INTERPOL Specialists Group on Crimes Against Children  (Singapore – November 2018)
• Internet Crimes Against Children (Conference – Dallas – August 2018)
• Internet Crimes Against Children (Conference – Atlanta – June 2018)
• Responding to Incidents Involving Children on the Autism Spectrum (Webinar- April 2018)