William L. Kim, an FBI special agent in the Washington Field Office, was presented last week with the agency’s Vanguard Award for outstanding work in the field of victim assistance. He was recognized for his part in an operation to rescue an abducted 5-year-old. Kim joined the FBI five years ago after spending 12 years in the Army and working briefly in the semiconductor industry.
What happened in the rescue of the kidnapped boy?
A 5-year-old boy was shopping with his parents and older sister in Alexandria. At some point, he got separated and ended up wandering outside the store. A lady came across him there and took him to her home. They wound up later in Washington, where they were eventually recovered. As with most abduction cases, the incident was first reported to the local police, in this case the Fairfax police. Fairfax called the FBI when they realized it was not just a common missing person case. We worked with Fairfax police and used video surveillance that showed this stranger with the boy. We had an Amber Alert issued, and that was critical in locating the boy and recovering him.
Is this the type of investigation you’re usually involved in?
I work on child abductions, international parental kidnappings, juvenile prosecutions and anything involving child pornography in Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia. A true stranger abduction, like this case, is kind of rare. But we take it seriously because the possible harm to the child is tremendous. More typically it’s international parental kidnappings, where there are marital or custody issues that result in a child being taken from the United States.
What made you want to join the FBI?
Well, you hear everything about it in the media, and it’s just a very rewarding career. It’s for more than just personal gain — you get to make a difference.
You mentioned the media. How do you feel about the portrayal of the FBI in TV and movies?
I try not to watch too many of those shows. Obviously there are a lot of differences and a lot of misconceptions. For instance, cases don’t usually get resolved within an hour. There are elements of truth, but it’s not the same.
