New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang announced today the appointment of Marty Stanford, a 36-year veteran of state and federal law enforcement, as the Chief of Investigations for the Western Region of the Offices of the Inspector General.
“It is truly an honor to appoint Marty Stanford to this critical role,” said Lang. “His experience and qualifications are eclipsed only by his integrity and commitment to serving the public trust. The residents of Western New York are fortunate to have one of their own bringing his unique talents to bear in ensuring integrity in state government for all.”
A lifelong resident of Western New York, and graduate of Cleveland Hill High School in Cheektowaga, and Buffalo State College, Stanford’s distinguished career began with the United States Customs Service where he served as a Customs Inspector before being promoted to the position of Intelligence Officer for the Port of Buffalo. Stanford would go on to become a Senior Special Agent with the Customs Service, in which role he, in 2001, was called upon to participate in investigation and recovery activities at Ground Zero following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Stanford, who is a commercial pilot, also spent a year conducting air operations for the Customs Service.
Following the subsequent creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the inclusion of the Customs Service within its purview, Stanford became a member of DHS’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI Unit), where he participated in complex criminal and administrative investigations, and served in the Office of Internal Affairs.
In 2007, Stanford was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent and Group Supervisor for HSI’s Buffalo Office. In that role, Stanford conducted and supervised agents conducting investigations into terrorism, money laundering, commercial trade fraud, narcotics and contraband smuggling, the illegal sale, transfer or exportation of sensitive US technology, asset removal, and border security issues, among others. Stanford also served as the co-director of the Human Trafficking Taskforce, which completed some of the first and most significant HSI led Human Trafficking cases and prosecutions in Western New York. While at HSI, Stanford also initiated and developed the agency’s financial fraud group, resulting in multiple significant investigations, indictments, arrests, and convictions, involving domestic and international crimes.
Since joining the Offices of the Inspector General in 2019, Stanford has spearheaded several significant investigations into thefts, frauds and other malfeasance committed by state employees and against the state. Stanford and his wife Sue, to whom he has been married for over 35 years, reside in Erie County, and are the proud parents of four children.
Read more at the New York State Inspector General’s Office
