Chad Chronister
Chad Chronister
Verification status: Verified
[[Category:Agents in Florida]]
About
Chad Gregory Chronister is the Sheriff of Hillsborough County, Florida, a county that plays a major role in the state’s local-federal immigration enforcement network. Chronister has been in the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office since 1992, rising through patrol, SWAT, narcotics, intelligence, dignitary protection, and command roles before being appointed sheriff in 2017.
Hillsborough County participates in Florida’s statewide 287(g) framework. This creates a direct pipeline between local arrests booked into the county jail and ICE’s immigration enforcement system. The structure means HCSO identifies, holds, and transfers people to ICE custody, making Chronister’s agency an active local partner in federal immigration actions. Florida mandates this cooperation statewide, but Chronister’s office has been one of the most consistent and visible contributors in the Tampa region.
Chronister is also a political figure within the Florida Republican establishment. In late 2024, Donald Trump announced he intended to nominate Chronister as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Chronister withdrew days later.
His tenure includes widely criticized policing decisions, including a 2020 operation in which his office publicized the names and mugshots of men targeted in a park sting. Civil rights groups and policing experts condemned the operation for targeting gay men without any public complaint or prostitution element.
Documented Incidents
This list updates automatically when incident pages link to this agent.
Evidence and Sources
Public statements confirming Hillsborough County’s 287(g) participation
Tampa Bay Times reporting on Chronister’s career and operations
ABC News report on DEA nomination
CNN report on withdrawal
HCSO public biography
Additional verification and social media evidence can be added here
Notes
Further documentation on HCSO’s role in Florida’s 287(g) system and joint ICE activity will be added as incident pages are created.