Cops and Writers Podcast

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

01:08:01

Sep 3, 2025 1:0 PM

Clean

From Deep Undercover Missions To Rescue's On The High Seas Battling Somali Pirates. FBI Special Agent / HRT Operator, And Marine, Rob D'Amico. (Part One)

On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me Rob D’Amico for this special two-part interview that will conclude next Sunday.

Rob D’Amico has over thirty-six years of federal government service—ten years in the United States Marine Corps and nearly twenty-seven with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is the founder and principal consultant at Sierra One Consulting.

Rob began a life of service when he enlisted as a US Marine during college at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and, after obtaining his bachelor's degree, was commissioned as an officer and served his first overseas tour in the first Gulf War. His work on reconnaissance missions with the Marine Corps opened the door to Rob’s long and successful career with the FBI. After four years based out of the Bureau’s Miami, Florida field office, apprehending the most violent felons of South Florida as a member of a multi-agency violent crime fugitive task force, Rob transitioned into deep undercover work against the most notorious U.S. and Italian-based organized crime families.

Rob was among the few selected for the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team, in which he served as a sniper and was first deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rob’s career with and beyond the HRT team placed him at each pivotal step in the resolution of kidnapping and hostile detention matters. He has worked on every facet of operations—negotiating hostage releases and exchanges, operating under the highest pressure against pirates, negotiators, warlords, leaders of terrorist networks, as well as with ambassadors, generals, foreign ministers, and non-government organizations.

From being deep undercover, going after the mob, to dealing with Somali pirates, Rob has had a career that movies are literally made of.

Today’s episode, we do a deep dive into his beginnings and Marine career. We also dive into what goes on in the head of an FBI SWAT and HRT team member and brush on his undercover work. Next Sunday, we go deep into a hostage rescue operation on the high seas, dealing with Somali pirates!

In today’s episode, we discuss:

· Thank you, Jerri Williams, over at the FBI File Review Podcast, for the intro.

· What were Rob’s influences that led to his life of service to his country?

· Marine Recon, the best of the best. Not just FBI, but high-risk undercover operations and HRT, high-speed operators, again, the best of the best. What instilled that in him?

· What drove him to be the best of the best? What continues to drive him today?.

· How does Rob deal with rejection?

· What are the biggest misconceptions people have of the Marines and or combat?

· What steered him towards the FBI?

· When did he start doing undercover work?

· What’s most important to the mob?

· How soon into his career was he doing undercover work?

· The difference between HRT and SWAT in the FBI. Who should be doing this work? What attributes should they have?

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

01:13:55

Aug 31, 2025 12:50 AM

Clean

238 Sisters in Crime & Behind The Badge W/ Milwaukee PD Sgt. Patrick O'Donnell, NYPD Det. Marique Bartoldus, Chicago PD Lt. Richard Rybicki, & Milwaukee Fire Dept. Cpt. Greg Renz

On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, we have something special for you all. I was approached by the Wisconsin Sisters in Crime author group to be the moderator for a group panel of cops and a firefighter. Of course, I jumped at the opportunity because of my experiences with the Sisters in Crime groups all over this country, which have been very positive.

I want to give a special thanks to Denise Jendusa and Nicole Prewitt for making this happen. This is the recorded version of this presentation that about 100 people attended over Zoom.

On the Behind the Badge presentation, I had retired NYPD Detective Marique Bartoldus, retired Chicago PD Detective Lieutenant Richard Rybicki, and retired Milwaukee Fire Department Captain Greg Renz.

We shared a bunch of war stories I guarantee will make you laugh, and maybe shed a tear or two. We then opened the floor for questions and answers. This was one of my favorite appearances I have done in a long time. Please enjoy this entertaining and educational presentation with the Wisconsin Chapter of the Sisters in Crime.

Check out Marique Bartolus's book, Twenty and Out: A compilation of chaos experienced while serving 20 years in the New York City Police Department

Head on over to Richard Rybicki's website to learn more about him and his books!

Check out Greg Renz's website to learn more about him and his books.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Check out Wes's newest book, Infiltrate America: Blood Routes and the Rise of Latin American Gangs

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

01:07:53

Aug 24, 2025 2:1 AM

Clean

237 Latin Gangs Infiltrating America, Blood Routes, And Heroism, With Author & DEA Special Agent Wes Tabor (Part Three)

There was so much to unpack with Wes about his incredible career in law enforcement and his accomplishments off duty that this is my first three-part interview. Thanks for sticking around until the end! Honestly, I could have talked to Wes all day. I will definitely have him back on the show in the future.

Here's a quick bio of just some of Wes’s accomplishments. Wes became a Hernando County Sheriff’s Deputy in 1988. As a deputy, Wes served as a S.W.A.T. lead, having completed the FBI S.W.A.T. school in 1995. Wes was a Defensive Tactics Instructor, anti-crime and property Detective, and earned the Florida Medal of Valor in 1996 for his heroism by disregarding his own safety, running into an apartment fire, saving multiple lives, and Mittens the cat.

In 1998, he was hired by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Wes had a 23-year career with the DEA and has been stationed in Field Divisions such as: St. Louis, Miami, Chicago, D.C., Los Angeles, and internationally in cities such as Guatemala City, Guatemala, Caracas, Venezuela, Cartagena, Colombia, and Bogota, Colombia. During this time, he was representing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in positions such as: supervisory special agent, country attaché, assistant country attaché, Deputy Section Chief, Assistant to the Global Deputy Chief of Operations, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge.

Wes was paralyzed in an auto accident where a drunk driver and career criminal had been at fault. Fortunately, he recovered from his spinal cord injury (C5/6) fracture and went back to being a DEA agent. The suspect later absconded and was on the run for 23 years only to be captured in 2024. He was given probation for 6 months by a local judge in Minnesota.

From 2012 to 2015, Wes was assigned to the Central Intelligence Agency as an Assignee to various locations in the Western Hemisphere, conducting various classified activities on behalf of the DEA while embedded with the CIA.

He has worked with some of the most prestigious law enforcement and military agencies, conducting operations and training modules, with the FBI, Secret Service, Defense Intelligence Service, US Army Special Forces, and Navy Seals.

As a DEA agent, rising through the ranks to Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Los Angeles, he was the division's Strike Force Commander, where he oversaw global money-laundering investigations, High Value Mexican Cartel Investigation, and led his teams in pursuit of some of the largest cases on the globe.

Thanks again for sticking around for the conclusion of this amazing interview. I think we covered a lot of ground and went places that I didn’t foresee. But that’s the fun of running a podcast. Please enjoy the conclusion of my interview with Wes Tabor.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

· What was the motivation for informants working with the DEA in Venezuela?

· Hezbollah and Hamas in Venezuela?

· The TDA gang that started in Venezuela and them spreading. This gang and others are spreading into the United States, and the influence they have and how they gain traction in America.

· What are the most dangerous gangs we should be the most aware of, and what can be done to stop them?

· The U.S./Mexican border has been a hot button for a while now and is in the news all the time. What are his thoughts, and how easy has it been and is it for these gangs to come into our country illegally?

· Gangs communicating and recruiting through encrypted social media.

· International gangs using cryptocurrencies.

· I don’t think the average American understands these gangs and what they are capable of. I think about the murder rates you had in your book in Jamaica and Central America, 2000-2017: 2.5 million murders, 2/3 of the world’s murders. Should we be worried that this will spill over into our country?

· In Milwaukee, we had the Latin (Spanish Cobras, Latin Kings, Brown Pride, Mexican Posse, and La Familia) and Black gangs (Gangster Disciples, Black Gangster Disciples, Kia Boys, and Vice Lords). The Latin gangs were much more organized, and the OGs didn’t give up much to the cops. They were busted with RICO cases, but all that did was bring in the black gangs where there was a void. It feels like a war that never ends. What can be done to stop it?

· His book, Infiltrate America - Blood Routes and the Rise of Latin American Gangs. Why write it?

· How painful was it for him to write this book? From personal experience, I know this can put PTSD into overdrive, reliving some ugly stuff.

· Post-retirement from the DEA. What does he miss the most/least from LE?

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Check out Wes's newest book, Infiltrate America: Blood Routes and the Rise of Latin American Gangs

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

01:04:15

Aug 19, 2025 1:2 AM

Clean

236 Latin Gangs Infiltrating America, Blood Routes, And Heroism, With Author & DEA Special Agent Wes Tabor (Part Two)

On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me Author and Retired DEA Agent Wes Tabor.

There was so much to unpack about his incredible career in law enforcement and his accomplishments off duty that this is my first three-part interview. Part three of the interview will go live tomorrow. Honestly, I could have talked to Wes all day. I will definitely have him back on the show in the future.

Here's a quick bio of just some of Wes’s accomplishments. Wes became a Hernando County Sheriff’s Deputy in 1988. As a deputy, Wes served as a S.W.A.T. lead, having completed the FBI S.W.A.T. school in 1995. Wes was a Defensive Tactics Instructor, anti-crime and property Detective, and earned the Florida Medal of Valor in 1996 for his heroism by disregarding his own safety, running into an apartment fire, saving multiple lives, and Mittens the cat.

In 1998, he was hired by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Wes had a 23-year career with the DEA and has been stationed in Field Divisions such as: St. Louis, Miami, Chicago, D.C., Los Angeles, and internationally in cities such as Guatemala City, Guatemala, Caracas, Venezuela, Cartagena, Colombia, and Bogota, Colombia. During this time, he was representing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in positions such as: supervisory special agent, country attaché, assistant country attaché, Deputy Section Chief, Assistant to the Global Deputy Chief of Operations, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge.

Wes was paralyzed in an auto accident where a drunk driver and career criminal had been at fault. Fortunately, he recovered from his spinal cord injury (C5/6) fracture and went back to being a DEA agent. The suspect later absconded and was on the run for 23 years, only to be captured in 2024. He was given probation for 6 months by a local judge in Minnesota.

From 2012-2015, Wes was assigned to the Central Intelligence Agency as an Assignee to various locations in the Western Hemisphere, conducting various classified activities on behalf of the DEA while embedded with the CIA.

He has worked with some of the most prestigious law enforcement and military agencies, conducting operations and training modules, with the FBI, Secret Service, Defense Intelligence Service, US Army Special Forces, and Navy Seals.

As a DEA agent, rising through the ranks to Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Los Angeles, he was the division's Strike Force Commander, where he oversaw global money-laundering investigations, High Value Mexican Cartel Investigation, and led his teams in pursuit of some of the largest cases on the globe.

I told you there’s a lot to Wes’s story! Today and tomorrow’s episodes will deal with the meat and potatoes of Wes’s incredible story.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

· Wes’s path to the DEA.

· His first three years as a DEA agent were a blur, working day and night.

The horrible things people would do while on methamphetamine.

· Making big cases out of little cases.

· Being struck by a drunk driver, breaking his neck, and being paralyzed. Doctors told him he may never walk again, to three years later back on the job being in Guatemala, doing helicopter operations.

· Seizing over 30 million dollars in cash in an operation in Chicago involving the Sinaloa Cartel.

· Latin gang operations in Chicago.

· His time in South/Central America. In his book, Infiltrating America, he talks about his time there, especially in Venezuela.

· What do you think the difference is between socialism and communism?

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Check out Wes's newest book, Infiltrate America: Blood Routes and the Rise of Latin American Gangs

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

01:04:18

Aug 17, 2025 12:16 AM

Clean

235 Latin Gangs Infiltrating America, Blood Routes, And Heroism, With Author & DEA Special Agent Wes Tabor (Part One)

On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me Author and Retired DEA Agent Wes Tabor.

There was so much to unpack about his incredible career in law enforcement and his accomplishments off duty that this is my first three-part interview. Part two of the interview that will go live next Sunday, and part three with be released the next day on Monday. Honestly, I could have talked to Wes all day. I will definitely have him back on the show in the future.

Here's a quick bio of just some of Wes’s accomplishments. Wes became a Hernando County Sheriff’s Deputy in 1988. As a deputy, Wes served as a S.W.A.T. lead, having completed the FBI S.W.A.T. school in 1995. Wes was a Defensive Tactics Instructor, anti-crime and property Detective, and earned the Florida Medal of Valor in 1996 for his heroism by disregarding his own safety, running into an apartment fire, saving multiple lives, and Mittens the cat.

In 1998, he was hired by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Wes had a 23-year career with the DEA and has been stationed in Field Divisions such as: St. Louis, Miami, Chicago, D.C., Los Angeles, and internationally in cities such as Guatemala City, Guatemala, Caracas, Venezuela, Cartagena, Colombia, and Bogota, Colombia. During this time, he was representing the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in positions such as: supervisory special agent, country attaché, assistant country attaché, Deputy Section Chief, Assistant to the Global Deputy Chief of Operations, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge.

Wes was paralyzed in an auto accident where a drunk driver and career criminal had been at fault. Fortunately, he recovered from his spinal cord injury (C5/6) fracture and went back to being a DEA agent. The suspect later absconded and was on the run for 23 years, only to be captured in 2024. He was given probation for 6 months by a local judge in Minnesota.

From 2012-2015, Wes was assigned to the Central Intelligence Agency as an Assignee to various locations in the Western Hemisphere, conducting various classified activities on behalf of the DEA while embedded with the CIA.

He has worked with some of the most prestigious law enforcement and military agencies, conducting operations and training modules, with the FBI, Secret Service, Defense Intelligence Service, US Army Special Forces, and Navy Seals.

As a DEA agent, rising through the ranks to Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Los Angeles, he was the division's Strike Force Commander, where he oversaw global money-laundering investigations, High Value Mexican Cartel Investigation, and led his teams in pursuit of some of the largest cases on the globe.

I told you there’s a lot to Wes’s story! Today’s episode is more focused on his beginnings and his heroism. We will get to more incredible stuff in the next two episodes.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

· Thank you to Chris Feistl for the intro.

· An unlikely role model growing up.

· The positive influence of the police explorer program on him as a youth.

· His time in Florida as a Sheriff’s Deputy, working in SWAT, the detective bureau, and as a D.A.A.T. instructor.

· Running into a fire and saving multiple people, and Mittens the cat.

· Receiving the Florida Medal of Valor for his heroic actions.

· Social media and law enforcement today.

· What he sees as the weaknesses or strengths in law enforcement training today.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

01:05:44

Aug 10, 2025 12:5 AM

Clean

234 Clay, Skulls, Bones, and Don't Embarrass the Bureau With FBI Forensic Artist Lisa Bailey. (Part Two)

Welcome back to the conclusion of my interview with Author and retired FBI Forensic Artist Lisa Bailey.

Just a heads up, today's interview consists of two separate interviews. The first part is more about her exciting career as an FBI forensic Artist. The second half of our interview will expose the dark side of the FBI and how Lisa, a woman who devoted her life to service to this great country, was harassed, bullied, and discriminated against. The FBI failed to take proper action against Lisa’s bosses, who were responsible, or simply turned a blind eye. Their conduct and the cover-up were inexcusable and were done to make sure not to ‘embarrass the bureau.’

I want to make it very clear I’m not an FBI smear campaign. Every day, the men and women of the FBI go out and do the right thing, whether they are arresting criminals or helping other agencies put criminals behind bars. But, upper management has to change the culture of don’t embarrass the bureau, even if that means admitting you or one of your subordinates did the wrong thing and fixing it. It’s very simple, do the right thing, even if it’s painful or embarrasses you, because it is the right thing to do.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

· Would Lisa donate her body to the Body Farm?

· Lisa walks us through the Lester Eubanks age progression case she spearheaded.

· What she says to those who see her work as not an exact science.

· How A.I. will change her previous job as a forensic artist.

· How she dealt with being surrounded by death.

· Her advice for someone who wants to be a forensic artist?

· FBI culture. Agents, and ‘everyone else.’

· Her being the victim of a hostile work environment, bullying, and discrimination while working at the FBI. “Don’t embarrass the bureau,” even when they are clearly in the wrong.

· My interview with former FBI Special Agent Zach Schoffstall.

· Lisa’s book, Clay and Bones: My Life as an FBI Forensic Artist

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

01:19:26

Aug 3, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

233 Clay, Skulls, Bones, and Don't Embarrass the Bureau With FBI Forensic Artist Lisa Bailey. (Part One)

On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me Author and retired FBI Forensic Artist Lisa Bailey for this special two-part interview that will conclude next Sunday.

Lisa Bailey spent most of her adult life serving our country. She enlisted in the United States Navy after high school and served for six years as a linguist translating Russian during the Cold War. Armed with a top-secret security clearance, she later joined the FBI, working as a forensic artist helping solve complex felony and cold case crimes. Lisa’s casework included creating composite sketches of terror suspects, age progressions of wanted fugitives, and post-mortem images of unidentified victims.

Please enjoy this enlightening and entertaining conversation with forensic artist Lisa Bailey.

In today’s episode we discuss:

Her mother being an artist and how that influenced her later in her professional life.

Joining the navy, being in the intelligence field as a Russian linguist during the Cold War.

What was the process to get a top-secret security clearance?

How she leveraged her Navy experience into the civilian world.

The FBI Special Agent Robert Hansen scandal.

How her love of donuts led to joining the FBI.

Her first impression of working for the FBI. Was it what she thought it would be?

What is a forensic artist, and what did the training look like? What she was trying to accomplish in a case when an agent or other LE reached out to her with a case? How did she do that?

Working at the FBI three months after the 9/11 terror attacks.

Hollywood portrayals of what you did, especially “Bones.” Are there any movies or TV shows that are close to accurate?

Lisa’s body farm study. What is the body farm, and what was she trying to accomplish?

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Visit Lisa's website to learn more about her and her book, Clay and Bones: My Life as an FBI Forensic Artist.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

01:12:00

Jul 27, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

232 Author & DEA Special Agent Leo Silva (retired) Takes Us Into The Zeta & Gulf Drug Cartels Reign Of Terror! (Part Two)

Welcome back to the conclusion of my interview with Author and Retired DEA Special Agent Léo Silva.

Leo Silva spent over twenty-eight years on the frontlines of the global war on drugs as a special agent with the DEA. Leo’s journey took him from the alleyways of Fronton Street to some of the most dangerous corners of North America, leading high-impact investigations against the Zeta and Gulf Cartels.

He served as the Resident Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Monterrey office, overseeing complex, cross-border operations that resulted in hundreds of high-value arrests and multi-million-dollar asset seizures. Over the course of his decorated career, he also held leadership roles in McAllen, Texas, and Guadalajara, Mexico—pioneering collaborative missions with Mexican authorities and helping rewrite the playbook for modern narco enforcement.

Now, Leo has turned his attention to storytelling. His debut memoir, Reign of Terror, offers a powerful, unfiltered look at the reality behind the headlines—a world of corruption, courage, and the personal cost of justice. The book has gained traction internationally and has been translated into Spanish for a Latin American release.

Leo is truly the real deal. This is a guy who has worked undercover numerous times in America and went after some of the most dangerous Mexican drug cartels. Please enjoy my chat with Leo Silva.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Having no diplomatic immunity and not being allowed to have a firearm while working in Mexico hunting down drug cartels.

· The different drug cartels in Mexico that were active while Silva was working there.

· The Zeta drug cartel.

· The horrifying Bengal Tiger incident.

· How Silva navigated the corruption and the levels or tiers of Mexican police and how he worked with them?

· Using shock and awe! Creative ways to get to the Cartel bosses.

· The house of hell and torturing people.

· The Casino Royale fire. What was the motive?

· What was the endgame for the dismantling of the Zetas?

· What happened to Acapulco?

· What do you think is the future of Mexico? It seems like cartel violence is starting to hit tourist areas now.

· How Mexican cartels started with bootlegging during Prohibition.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Head on over to Leo's website to learn more about him and his work.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

00:54:50

Jul 20, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

231 Author & DEA Special Agent Leo Silva (retired) Takes Us Into The Zeta & Gulf Drug Cartels Reign Of Terror! (Part One)

On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me, Author and Retired DEA Special Agent Léo Silva, for this special two-part interview that will conclude next Sunday.

Leo Silva spent over twenty-eight years on the frontline of the global war on drugs as a special agent with the DEA. Leo’s journey took him from the alleyways of Fronton Street to some of the most dangerous corners of North America, leading high-impact investigations against the Zeta and Gulf Cartels.

He served as the Resident Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Monterrey office, overseeing complex, cross-border operations that resulted in hundreds of high-value arrests and multi-million-dollar asset seizures. Over the course of his decorated career, he also held leadership roles in McAllen, Texas, and Guadalajara, Mexico—pioneering collaborative missions with Mexican authorities and helping rewrite the playbook for modern narco enforcement.

Now, Leo has turned his attention to storytelling. His debut memoir, Reign of Terror, offers a powerful, unfiltered look at the reality behind the headlines—a world of corruption, courage, and the personal cost of justice. The book has gained traction internationally and has been translated into Spanish for a Latin American release.

Leo is the real deal. This is a guy who has worked undercover numerous times in America and went after some of the most dangerous Mexican drug cartels. Please enjoy my chat with Leo Silva.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· I would like to thank Chris Feistl for setting up this intro. If you'd like to check out my interview with Chris, a retired DEA agent with a compelling story to share, head over to episodes 217 and 218.

· How he got interested in a career with the DEA.

· How playing golf in high school helped his future career in the DEA.

· Serving mobsters in a restaurant where he worked as a kid.

· Being a full-time musician before joining the DEA.

· You were one of the only Spanish speakers when you were an agent in Texas?

· Being a new DEA agent and going undercover buying heroin.

· How he kept his sanity and your identity while doing UC work.

· Some of the scariest moments as an undercover agent?

· Going to work in Mexico as a DEA agent attempting to shut down ruthless drug cartels.

· His relationship with the often corrupt Mexican police and how difficult it was to extradite criminals.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Head on over to Leo's website to learn more about him and his work.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

00:53:58

Jul 13, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

230 Kerrie Droban Shows Us How to Survive a Psychopath in Court, In Life, and In “Love.” (Part Two)

00:51:13

Jul 6, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

229 Kerrie Droban Shows Us How to Survive a Psychopath in Court, In Life, and In “Love.”

Have you ever known someone who is a bit off? It could be a boss, co-worker, or your significant other. It can start with someone too good to be true, filled with charm and fake empathy. Then, they begin to show their true colors by controlling, manipulating, and destroying your life, or worse, ending it. Well, today we are going to be talking about psychopaths and how we can hopefully identify the red flags and protect ourselves from these predators. My guest on the show, Kerrie Droban, is an expert in psychopathy, studying this phenomenon, being recognized as an expert consultant on criminal pathology, and writing her newest book, Surviving a Psychopath: In Court. In Life. In “Love.”

Kerrie Droban is a bestselling author, lawyer, public speaker, true crime television host and journalist seen on Netflix, 20/20, and ID TV, and host of her own podcast, Crime Stands Still.

Kerrie draws on her personal experience being in relationships with partners who exhibited psychopathic traits and being a capitol defense attorney representing inmates on death row for years.

Please enjoy part one of my interview with Kerrie Droban that I guarantee will send chills up your spine and give you some diagnostic tools to help you recognize a psychopath before it’s too late.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Kerrie Droban being the original ‘spy kid’ having both parents as CIA operatives and spending her youth living in Africa.

· How she balances being a bestselling author, lawyer, public speaker, true crime television host seen on Netflix, 20/20, and ID TV, and host of her own podcast, Crime Stands Still.

· How she suggests others break into show business.

· What is the definition of a psychopath, and how many has she known?

· Are all psychopaths predators?

· How do we spot the traits of a psychopath, and why do we sometimes choose to ignore them?

· Why do humans choose to ignore their intuition?

· Gavin de Becker’s book, The Gift of Fear.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Please visit Kerrie's website to learn more about her and her newest book, Surviving a Psychopath: In Court. In Life. In “Love.”

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

00:48:21

Jun 29, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

228 Gang Wars, Contracts on His Life, and Exile From His Beloved Club, Former Hells Angels Ventura Chapter President George Christie (Part Two).

Welcome back everyone for the conclusion of my interview with former Ventura Chapter President of the Hells Angels, George Christie. But first a disclaimer. I do not and never have condoned criminal behavior. I was a cop for 25 years and my heart is with the men and women who enforce the law and bring criminals to justice.

That being said, I wanted to bring you the listener/viewer a different kind of perspective. One from an unapologetic outlaw living out the last chapters of his life (who knows, maybe he will live to a 100). I think it’s good to see both sides of the coin. I may not agree with everything he says or stands for, but we can sit down and have a civilized conversation, something that is desperately missing in today’s society, I think.

So, my guest on today’s show George Christie, has spent some time in prison and was the president of the Ventura Chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club from 1978 to 2011. In 2011 he walked away from the Hells Angels and resigned his membership. A short time later the club turned their backs on him and considered him in ‘bad standing’ which is a kick in the gut for someone who dedicated his life to the outlaw club. It’s kind of like it never happened.

George’s life is like something out of a movie. He has gone to war with rival bike gangs like the Outlaws and Mongols and has had at least two contracts out to kill him. He was in the hotseat on the news show 60 Minutes where he was grilled by Mike Wallace. He spent a year in solitary confinement and also carried the Olympic torch for the 1984 games in Los Angeles and even had a blowup with the Kennedy’s.

One thing is for sure, George is not boring. Please enjoy the conclusion of my interview with George Christie.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· His 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace and Mike flirting with his wife.

· FBI informant Anthony Tate.

· His time in jail / prison and the effects of being in solitary confinement for a year.

· The difference between the Hells Angels now and when he was leading a charter?

· The hit television show Sons of Anarchy. What he and other Angles thought of David Labrava (Happy Lowman), Rusty Coones (Rane Quinn), Sonny Barger (Lenny Janowitz), and Chuck Zito (Frankie Diamonds) being on the show?

· His stormy relationship with Sonny Barger.

· Everything, including your patch, motorcycle, and even jewelry is club property?

· Is it still a straight, white male club? What are females’ roles in the club? Old Ladies?

· What about fake Angels? If I get a counterfeit patch and decide to ride my bike in Hells Angels territory, what should I expect?

· How he wound up quitting the Hells Angles.

· Being the spokesman for the Hells Angels.

· Riding a motorcycle is moving Zen.

· The book, Exile From Front Street.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Ride over to George's website to learn more about him and his books!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

00:42:56

Jun 22, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

227 Gang Wars, Contracts on His Life, and Exile From His Beloved Club, Former Hells Angels Ventura Chapter President George Christie (Part One).

I wanted to start the show today with a disclaimer. I do not and never have condoned criminal behavior. I was a cop for 25 years, and my heart is with the men and women who enforce the law and bring criminals to justice.

That being said, I wanted to bring you, the listener/viewer, a different perspective. One from an unapologetic outlaw living out the last chapters of his life (who knows, maybe he will live to a 100). I think it’s good to see both sides of the coin. I may not agree with everything he says or stands for, but we can sit down and have a civilized conversation, something that is desperately missing in today’s society, I think.

So, my guest on today’s show George Christie, has spent some time in prison and was the president of the Ventura Chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club from 1978 to 2011. In 2011 he walked away from the Hells Angels and resigned his membership. A short time later, the club turned their backs on him and considered him in ‘bad standing,’ which is a kick in the gut for someone who dedicated his life to the outlaw club. It’s kind of like it never happened.

George’s life is like something out of a movie. He has gone to war with rival bike gangs like the Outlaws and Mongols and has had at least two contracts out to kill him. He was in the hot seat on the news show 60 Minutes, where he was grilled by Mike Wallace. He spent a year in solitary confinement and also carried the Olympic torch for the 1984 games in Los Angeles and had a blowup with the Kennedys.

One thing is for sure: George is not boring! Please enjoy part one of my interview with George Christie.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Lessons learned from coming from an immigrant family.

· Joining the Marines and later working for the Department of Defense.

· Deciding to devote his life to the Hells Angels.

· The process and initiation for becoming a Hells Angel.

· How George was elected club president in a short amount of time.

· Being the spokesman for the Hells Angels.

· There is nothing more important to a member of the Hells Angels than the club. Everything else takes a back seat. How did he function like that? There is work, spirituality, marriage, kids, and friends. They all play second fiddle if you’re an Angel.

· Carrying the Olympic torch. Feuding with the Kennedys/Shriver’s and winning!

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Ride over to George's website to learn more about him and his books!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

00:46:13

Jun 15, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

226 Deep Undercover With ATF Special Agent Jay Dobyns And Becoming a Full Patched Hells Angel (Part Two).

Welcome back for the conclusion of my interview with Professor, bestselling Author, and Retired ATF Special Agent Jay Dobyns. If you're enjoying this episode, you'll love my interview with ATF Special Agent Ken Croke from episode 120, where he chats about his deep undercover mission taking down the outlaw motorcycle gang, The Pagans. I thought it would be interesting to get a different perspective on these clubs by interviewing the former president of the Ventura Hells Angels, George Christie. That interview will go live next Sunday!

Jay Dobyns spent over two decades as a federal agent embedded in the dark heart of America’s violent crime, participating in more than five hundred undercover missions targeting gun runners, narcotics traffickers, explosives manufacturers, murder-for-hire schemes, and vicious gangs.

Jay’s most infamous case—a landmark infiltration of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang—changed the face of undercover work forever, earning him international recognition.

Jay’s story is more than headlines and danger. It’s about the cost of service to others, the toll on identity, family, and mental health, and how to rise from it stronger.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Attempting to be a good dad and father, while you were undercover. How did you and your family deal with all of that?

· Sunny Barger, who he was and Jay’s relationship with him.

· What kind of bike the ATF gave Jay. Why only Harleys or maybe Indians?

· Mafia on two wheels?.

· What is the filthy few?

· What happened at Laughlin?

· His informant, Pops, and Black Biscuit.

· Deep undercover, the effects on him and his family. ATF help? Debrief after the case?.

· How did you leave UC work??

· A surfing Hells Angel?

· How close he came to losing his own identity.

· His advice for someone who wants to do deep UC work.

· The book, No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels. Why write it and how did the process of writing the book affect him?

Learn more about Jay Dobyns and his books on his website!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

01:11:05

Jun 8, 2025 2:0 AM

Clean

225 Deep Undercover With ATF Special Agent Jay Dobyns And Becoming a Full Patched Hells Angel (Part One).

Do I have a treat for all of you! On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me Professor, Bestselling Author, and Retired ATF Special Agent Jay Dobyns for this special two-part interview that will conclude next Sunday.

Jay Dobyns spent over two decades as a federal agent embedded in the dark heart of America’s violent crime, participating in more than five hundred undercover missions targeting gun runners, narcotics traffickers, explosives manufacturers, murder-for-hire schemes, and vicious gangs.

Jay’s most infamous case—a landmark infiltration of the Hells Angels motorcycle gang—changed the face of undercover work forever, earning him international recognition.

Jay’s story is more than headlines and danger. It’s about the cost of service to others, the toll on identity, family, and mental health, and how to rise from it stronger.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Thank you Steve Gould over at the Things Police See Podcast for the intro.

· Acknowledgement of Jay’s wife and kids, who are the heroes of this story.

· Almost playing in the NFL.

· Jay’s intense desire to work undercover.

· The role and value of undercover work in law enforcement.

· His first foot chase and how it ended.

· Taken hostage as a rookie ATF agent?

· Getting shot point blank and surviving a sucking chest wound.

· The aftermath of almost being killed.

· When he started to feel invincible.

· Fifteen years of being an undercover ATF agent specializing in illegal narcotics, explosives, and guns before going after the Hells Angels.

· The murder of Cynthia Garcia at the hands of Hells Angels members.

· Path to the Hells Angels. Hang around, prospect, and full patch. The rules, bylaws, and procedures of the Hells Angels.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Learn more about Jay Dobyns and his books on his website!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

01:03:08

Jun 1, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

Bonus Episode! My Interview On The Ireland Crimes and Mysteries Podcast With Nules Ní Chleirigh!

Welcome, everyone, to a special bonus edition of the Cops and Writers Podcast. A few weeks back, it was my pleasure to be a guest on the Ireland Crimes and Mysteries Podcast hosted by the wonderful Nules Ní Chleirigh. Being a child of two Irish immigrants, I jumped at the opportunity to be on her show. Her podcast is recorded over in the Emerald Isle in County Tipperary. I had so much fun talking to her about American policing and the differences between how we do things here in the US and how it is done over in Ireland. Please enjoy my conversation with the most wonderful Nules on the Ireland Crimes and Mysteries Podcast.

Check out the Ireland Crimes and Mysteries Podcast website!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

00:52:01

May 31, 2025 2:0 AM

Clean

224 Being a DEA Agent in Miami During the 80s and 90s & Later Battling Drug Cartels in Mexico, W/ Author & DEA Special Agent Jaime Forza (Ret) (Part Two)

Welcome everyone to the conclusion of my special two-episode conversation with Author and Retired DEA Special Agent Jaime Forza! Here are just some of Jaime’s career highlights.

After serving eight years in the U.S. Navy, Jaime joined the U.S. Department of Defense, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) as a Special Agent serving for two years. In 1989, he became a Special Agent with the DEA, first in Charleston, South Carolina, then transferred to the Miami Field Division. He took part in numerous undercover and covert operations and was deployed on assignment to Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1990.

In 1996, the DEA transferred Jaime to Merida, Mexico, Resident Office, where he later promoted to Resident Agent in Charge. In this role, he played a crucial part in the dismantling of the Juarez Cartel drug enterprise.

In 2009, he was promoted and reassigned to the Office of Global Enforcement, Special Projects Branch. In this role, he served as the Senior Military Advisor for Narco-Terrorism at the U.S. Southern Command Headquarters.

In 2013, DEA selected Jaime as Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Miami Field Division. In this role, he managed domestic enforcement and oversaw the daily operations of the division's foreign-based component in the Bahamas and its forward air operating bases. Jaime was subsequently appointed to Senior Executive.

On December 5, 2024, Jaime released his book, THE RULES OF KONGO : A Psychological Crime Thriller Inspired by Actual Events. This book can be described as a dark, psychological crime thriller with supernatural elements.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Cocaine coming from Colombia to Mexico and then the United States. How did they smuggle it, and how much?

· Drug submarines that were assembled in the jungle?

· The Juarez cartel.

· Operation Panama Express.

· Working UC in America and overseas. Scariest moments and most fulfilling.

· Santeria priests and priestesses or other “black magic/voodoo”. Putting spells on witnesses attempting to tie their tongue in knots in court, making drug dealers invisible to LE.

· Palo Mayabme dark magic / Voodoo dolls.

· What is your advice for someone who wants to become a DEA agent? How should they prepare?

· Jaimie’s book, THE RULES OF KONGO : A Psychological Crime Thriller Inspired by Actual Events.

· Jaimie’s answer to the illegal drug problem in America.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

To learn more about Jaime's book, The Rules of Kongo, head over to this website!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

01:04:20

May 25, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

223 Voodoo & Black Magic. Being a DEA Agent in Miami During the 80s and 90s & Later Battling Drug Cartels in Mexico, W/ Author & DEA Special Agent Jaime Forza (Ret) (Part One).

Welcome to part one of my special two-episode conversation with Author and retired DEA Special Agent Jaime Forza! Here are just some of Jaime’s career highlights.

After serving eight years in the U.S. Navy, Jaime joined the U.S. Department of Defense, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) as a Special Agent serving for two years. In 1989, he became a Special Agent with the DEA, first in Charleston, South Carolina, then transferred to the Miami Field Division. He took part in numerous undercover and covert operations and was deployed on assignment to Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1990.

In 1996, the DEA transferred Jaime to Merida, Mexico, Resident Office, where he later promoted to Resident Agent in Charge. In this role, he played a crucial part in the dismantling of the Juarez Cartel drug enterprise.

In 2009, he was promoted and reassigned to the Office of Global Enforcement, Special Projects Branch. In this role, he served as the Senior Military Advisor for Narco-Terrorism at the U.S. Southern Command Headquarters.

In 2013, DEA selected Jaime as Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Miami Field Division. In this role, he managed domestic enforcement and oversaw the daily operations of the division's foreign-based component in the Bahamas and its forward air operating bases. Jaime was subsequently appointed to Senior Executive.

On December 5, 2024, Jaime released his book, THE RULES OF KONGO : A Psychological Crime Thriller Inspired by Actual Events. This book can be described as a dark, psychological crime thriller with supernatural elements.

I really enjoyed my time with Jaime and we have a lot in common.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Growing up in Brooklyn, New York.

· What are mafia fires?

· The neighborhood Bruha.

· Moving to Puerto Rico when he was in high school.

· His biggest influences as a young child and teen?

· Why he joined the Navy at 16 years of age and later became a N.C.I.S. agent?

· His path to joining the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

· Being a DEA Agent in the 1980s/90s in Miami.

· Travelling to Panama and taking part in Operation Just Cause, arresting General Manuel Antonio Noriega.

· The pros and cons of working as a DEA agent in Mexico.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

To learn more about Jaime's book, The Rules of Kongo, head over to this website!Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

01:05:00

May 18, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

222 LAPD Lieutenant Jeff Wenninger (Ret.) Rodney King Riots, Rebuilding The Gang Unit After The Rampart Scandal, & Reenvisioning Police Work (Part Two)

Hey everyone, thanks for joining us as we’re going the back to west coast today for the conclusion of our interview with Author and Retired Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant Jeff Wenninger!

Jeff is a retired LAPD lieutenant with more than 33 years in law enforcement. He started with L.A. County Sheriff in 1991 and worked the Rodney King riots on the street and jail, where he and his coworkers were not allowed to go home for two weeks straight.

He later lateralled to LAPD in 1993 and went on to work with some of the most highly-trained units, including the Metropolitan Division which encompasses SWAT, K9, high risk warrants, and more. As a sergeant, he was handpicked as the officer in charge of the Rampart Gang Enforcement detail following the Rampart Scandal in the late 90s. As a sergeant and later as a lieutenant, Jeff was the officer in charge of the Use of Force Investigation Division and oversaw investigations of lethal force and other significant applications of force. Jeff's work earned him prestigious awards including the LAPD Medal of Valor, Police Star, and Meritorious Unit Citation.

Jeff is the founder and CEO of Law Enforcement Consultants, LLC. He is releasing a book called “On Thin Ice” that will be published on May 6.

Please enjoy this candid interview witch we talk about what’s good and bad with law enforcement today, and how we can fix it.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· The trends in law enforcement today regarding uniforms.

· How the O.J. Simpson trial changed the LAPD.

· Jeff’s career trajectory with the LAPD?

· The special units Jeff served on and supervised.

· At the apex of a promising career, why Jeff decided to retire from law enforcement.

· How difficult was it to transition to civilian life?

· Being the founder and CEO of Law Enforcement Consultants. What is this and why do it?.

· Your upcoming book, On Thin Ice: An LAPD Veteran’s Journey to Reimagine Policing, is due out soon. Why write it, and what, if any, message do you want to give the reader?

· What Jeff misses the most about the job.

Go check out Jeff's website to learn more about him and his newest book, On Thin Ice.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

01:04:24

May 11, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

221 LAPD Lieutenant Jeff Wenninger (Ret.) Rodney King Riots, Rebuilding The Gang Unit After The Rampart Scandal, & Reenvisioning Police Work (Part One)

Hey everyone, thanks for joining us, as we’re going west coast today! Welcome to part one of my two-part conversation with Author and Retired Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant Jeff Wenninger!

Jeff is a retired LAPD lieutenant with more than 33 years in law enforcement. He started with the L.A. County Sheriff in 1991 and worked the Rodney King riots on the street and jail, where he and his coworkers were not allowed to go home for two weeks straight.

He later lateralled to LAPD in 1993 and went on to work with some of the most highly-trained units, including the Metropolitan Division which encompasses SWAT, K9, high risk warrants, and more. As a sergeant, he was handpicked as the officer in charge of the Rampart Gang Enforcement detail following the Rampart Scandal in the late 90s. As sergeant and later as a lieutenant, Jeff was the officer in charge of the Use of Force Investigation Division and oversaw investigations of lethal force and other significant applications of force. Jeff's work earned him prestigious awards including the LAPD Medal of Valor, Police Star, and Meritorious Unit Citation.

Jeff is the founder and CEO of Law Enforcement Consultants, LLC. He is releasing a book called “On Thin Ice” that will be published on May 6.

Please enjoy my candid interview, which we talk about what needs to be fixed and what is working with law enforcement today.

In today’s episode we discuss:

· Being adopted as a child, how did this affect your later life, especially in your career as a police officer? Or did it?

· His father being a professor at Kent State University and being there when national guardsmen opened fire on students.

· Jeff being the recipient of a hockey scholarship to go to college. How his career in hockey molded him and prepared him later in life?

· As a young man, there was an incident where he had a negative interaction with the police where he was unlawfully arrested. How did this affect him later as a police officer?

· Why leave the L.A. Sheriff’s to join the LAPD?

· O.J., guilty or not guilty?

· How the O.J. Simpson trial changed the LAPD and the city.

· Working the streets and jail during the Rodney King riots. Over sixty people dead and thousands injured.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Go check out Jeff's website to learn more about him and his newest book, On Thin Ice.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

01:02:01

May 4, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

220 Former NYPD Police Officer, Attorney, Presidential Advisor, and Author Nick Chiarkas! (Part Two)

Welcome back everyone to the conclusion of my conversation with the amazing Nick Chiarkas! I was so excited about this interview I didn’t want you guys to wait for next Sunday! I really enjoyed talking to Nick and I think you guys are going to feel the same about this episode.

Nick grew up in the Al Smith housing projects on Manhattan's Lower East Side. When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that "Nick was unlikely ever to complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation." Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division serving in the Viet Nam war, a New York City Police Officer, Deputy Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Deputy Chief Counsel for the President's Commission on Organized Crime; Chief Counsel for the USATBCB; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency. On the way, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University, a Law Degree from Temple University, and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. Not bad for a guy whose principal told his parents that he wouldn’t amount to much.

I found this interview to be so captivating and entertaining. I didn’t want it to end. I hope you guys feel the same. Please enjoy my conversation with Nick.

In today’s episode we discuss:.

· Why Nick left the NYPD after only seven years on the job.

· His experience of being sent to the Woodstock music festival as security and meeting some of the musicians, including Jimi Hendrix.

· His part in the movie, The Anderson Tapes (Starring Sean Connery, Diane Cannon, and Christopher Walken).

· How Nick wound up being the Deputy Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President's Commission on Organized Crime.

· His awkward first meeting with President Reagan.

· His becoming the director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency and how he was not welcomed with open arms because him being a former police officer.

· The changes he instituted in the public defender’s office.

· His books, Weepers and Nunzio’s Way.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Check out Nick's Amazon Author page!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

00:57:12

Apr 28, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

219 Former NYPD Police Officer, Attorney, Presidential Advisor, and Author Nick Chiarkas! (Part One)

Welcome to part one of my two-part conversation with the amazing Nick Chiarkas! I really enjoyed talking to Nick and I think you guys are going to feel the same about this episode.

Nick grew up in the Al Smith housing projects on Manhattan's Lower East Side. When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that "Nick was unlikely ever to complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation." Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division serving in the Viet Nam war, a New York City Police Officer, Deputy Chief Counsel to the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Deputy Chief Counsel for the President's Commission on Organized Crime; Chief Counsel for the USATBCB; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency. On the way, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University, a Law Degree from Temple University, and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. Not bad for a guy whose principal told his parents that he wouldn’t amount to much.

I found this interview to be so captivating and entertaining. I didn’t want it to end. I hope you guys feel the same. Please enjoy my conversation with Nick.

In today’s episode we discuss:.

· The principal who told Nick’s folks that he would never graduate from high school.

· Growing up in a housing project in New York in the 1950s to60s.

· The street gangs of that era and his affiliations.

· Volunteering to join the army and being in the elite 101st Airborne Division, serving in Vietnam.

· Why he became a New York Police Officer.

· The influence of his father and other relatives being police officers with the NYPD.

· Coming across an armed robbery in progress as a rookie cop, by himself!

Check out Nick's Amazon Author page!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

00:54:43

Apr 27, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

218 DEA Agent Chris Feistl Busting The Biggest Drug Organization in History, The Cali Cartel! (Part Two)

Welcome back for the conclusion of my interview with Author and Retired DEA Special Agent Chris Feistl.

Chris Feistl served with distinction for 26 years with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), retiring in 2014 as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division.

After serving an initial six-year assignment in Miami, Florida, Chris was sent to Colombia in July 1994 and assigned to a special Task Force created to take down the notorious Cali cartel, “the most powerful criminal organization in the world." In Colombia, Chris partnered with Dave Mitchell, and together they spent almost three years investigating the cartel; their joint efforts resulting in the arrest of the four ruthless Cali “Godfathers” and the dismantlement of the biggest drug cartel in history.

Chris has long been considered an expert on the Cali cartel, consistently making him a highly sought-after guest on television documentaries and podcasts with a particular focus on his pursuit of the Cali cartel leaders. Chris was portrayed in an 80-episode Spanish-language Netflix series entitled En la Boca del Lobo, as well as in Season 3 of Netflix’s widely acclaimed hit Narcos Colombia: Rise of a New Empire, The Cali Cartel.

Chris is also an author with his highly anticipated novel, After Escobar: Taking Down the Notorious Cali Godfathers and the Biggest Drug Cartel in History scheduled for release June 24.

Please enjoy this enlightening and captivating conversation with DEA Special Agent Chris Feistl.

In today’s episode we discuss:.

· How he dealt with the rampant corruption within the Colombian police? Also, how he dealt with the changing political winds in the U.S. and Colombia.

· The Cali KGB, what this was, and how they combated this.

· Drawn and quartered with motorcycles on the Netflix show. How real was that?

· How did the Cali Cartel dispose of bodies?

· What was the relationship with the CIA and FBI like during his work there?

· Using a chicken truck to arrest one of the Godfathers.

· When he feared the most for his life as a DEA Agent.

· His upcoming book, After Escobar: Taking Down the Notorious Cali Godfathers and the Biggest Drug Cartel in History. How did this happen, and why write the book?

Learn more about Chris and his upcoming book!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba

01:00:47

Apr 20, 2025 5:0 AM

Clean

Bonus Episode! Rectal Hot Sauce and a Last-Second Murder Confession With Me Being Interviewed on The Things Police See Podcast.

Welcome to a bonus episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, with me being interviewed on the Things Police See Podcast hosted by Steve Gould!

We talk about everything from rectal hot sauce to a last-second murder confession.

Check out the most awesome Steve Gould's Things Pollice See Podcast!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!
Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.
Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

What would you do if you lost the one you loved the most? How far would you go to quench your thirst for vengeance?

https://a.co/d/2UsJPba