New MBN Director Selected

PRESS RELEASE

Jackson, Miss. – Gov. Phil Bryant announced today that he has appointed John Dowdy director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

DOWDY

Dowdy replaces Sam Owens, who is retiring. Dowdy comes to MBN from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, where he worked in the criminal division. Dowdy started in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1988.

“John’s decades of experience as a prosecutor make him a perfect fit to lead MBN,” Gov. Bryant said. “As a former law enforcement officer, I have made it a priority to rid our communities of the drug trade. John shares that commitment. I am delighted he has accepted this appointment.”

Dowdy’s appointment is effective Nov. 1.

“I want to thank Gov. Bryant for this opportunity,” he said. “It is an honor to serve the people of Mississippi as the director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.  As director, my priority will be to ensure that drug dealers are arrested, convicted and sent to prison in an effort to make our streets and communities safer for our citizens and children.”

As chief of the criminal division, Dowdy oversaw dozens of narcotics investigations and prosecutions involving major drug trafficking organizations importing illegal narcotics into Mississippi with sources of supply in many cases linked to Mexican cartels. Dowdy also served on the executive committee of the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

Dowdy’s auxiliary responsibilities at the U.S. Attorney’s Office included coordinating task forces related to Katrina fraud, public corruption and environmental crimes. He served the office’s coordinator for victims’ rights, confidential human sources and crisis management.

Dowdy enjoyed a decorated career as a prosecutor. Among his honors are three Special Achievement Awards from the United States Department of Justice, the Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an AUSA in 1998 and the agency’s Certificate of Appreciation for his work reviewing FBI reports related to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Dowdy graduated from Mississippi College with a bachelor of science in business administration. He earned his law degree from Mississippi College School of Law.