Federal law enforcement in 10 Eastern Kentucky counties is now being conducted by FBI special agents from nearby areas while the agency tries to fill vacancies in its Pikeville office.

“The Pikeville territory is currently being covered by FBI special agents from the surrounding areas while we await current vacancies to be filled,” said Katie Anderson, spokeswoman for the state’s main FBI office in Louisville.

She added: “FBI Louisville is fully committed to remaining operational in Pikeville and continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in the area to drive investigations forward.”

Besides the main office in Louisville, the FBI has satellite offices or “resident agencies” in eight Kentucky cities.

The Pikeville office covers Floyd, Greenup, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Perr, and Pike counties.

The FBI would not comment on its personnel in ikeville but the Kentucky Lantern has learned that two agents who had staffed the office ?have left it. One retired and the other was transferred to another state.

“It is FBI policy not to comment on personnel matters,” said Anderson. “At the guidance and direction of our office of general counsel, the Privacy Act prohibits us from commenting on or confirming employment, unless it’s a senior executive service employee or there is some other circumstance that rises to the level of an exception to the Privacy Act.”

It is not known how long it will take to staff the Pikeville office.

The FBI investigates a wide range of criminal activity, including terrorism, cybercrime, public corruption, civil rights violations, organized crime, white-collar crime such as health care fraud and public corruption and violent crime.

The FBI’s investigative authority is the broadest of all federal law enforcement agencies. The FBI works closely with other federal, state, local, and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the U.S. attorney general, and reports its findings to U.S. attorneys across the country.? Its intelligence activities are overseen by the director of National Intelligence.

Besides Pikeville, the other FBI offices in Kentucky and the counties they cover are:

• Main Field Office: Bullitt, Hardin, Jefferson, LaRue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, Washington.
• ?Bowling Green: Adair, Allen, Barren, Butler, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Green, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Russell, Simpson, Taylor, Warren.
• Covington: Boone, Boyd, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Carter, Fleming, Gallatin, Grant, Greenup, Henry, Kenton, Lewis, Mason, Owen, Pendleton, Robertso,Trimble.
• Hopkinsville: Caldwell, Christian, Crittenden, Hopkins, Lyon, Muhlenburg, Todd, Trigg.?
• Lexington: Anderson, Bath, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Menifee, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Powell, Rowan, Scott, Wolfe, Woodford.
• London: Bell, Breathitt, Casey, Clay, Harlan, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Leslie, McCreary, Owsley, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Wayne, Whitley.
• Owensboro: Breckinridge, Davies, Grayson, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio, Union, Webster.
• Paducah: Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Marshall, McCracken.