Salah Gosh is accused of overseeing a crackdown led by intelligence agents against protesters taking part in four months of mass demonstrations.
Gosh, who was Omar al-Bashir’s closest ally, resigned in April.
He had worked on and off for NISS since the 1989 coup that brought Bashir to power.
The United States has designated former Sudan's spy chief Salah Abdallah Mohamed Saleh, also known as Gosh, for his involvement in “gross violations of human rights”.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said Washington had credible evidence that Salah Gosh was involved in torture during his tenure as head of the feared Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS).
“We make this announcement today in support of an effort by the Sudanese people to place the Omar al-Bashir regime, with its long record of human rights violations and abuses by Gosh and other officials, in the past for good,” Mr Pompeo said.
The designation bars Salah Gosh and his family from travelling to America.
Gosh is accused of overseeing a crackdown led by NISS agents against protesters taking part in four months of mass demonstrations that led up to the ousting of long-time ruler Bashir.
John Prendergast, veteran activist and The Sentry's co-founder welcomed Gosh's listing saying it should send a message “to all the peace spoilers that business as usual in Sudan is no longer acceptable.”
“Finally, after years of sowing terror and chaos in war-torn parts of Sudan, Salah Gosh has finally experienced the first of what hopefully will be many consequences for his misdeeds,” said Mr Prendergast.
Gosh, who was Bashir’s closest ally, resigned shortly after his boss was arrested by the military in April.
He had worked on and off for NISS since the 1989 coup that brought Bashir to power, Sudanese media reports.
Political crisis has gripped Sudan since last December after civil unrests—which started as a result of a hike in bread price—turned political.
Early this month, the ruling military junta and opposition leaders agreed on a constitutional declaration which will pave the way for a transitional government.