Seeing Life through
Private Eyes
Seeing Life through
Private Eyes
Secrets from Americas
Top Investigator to
Living Safer, Smarter, and Saner
Thomas G. Martin
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Lanham Boulder New York London
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Copyright 2017 by Rowman & Littlefield
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Martin, Thomas G., 1946 author.
Title: Seeing life through private eyes : secrets from Americas top investigator to living safer, smarter, and saner / Thomas G. Martin.
Description: Lanham : Rowman & Littlefield, [2017] | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016057281 (print) | LCCN 2017014210 (ebook) | ISBN 9781442269736 (electronic) | ISBN 9781442269729 (cloth : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Martin, Thomas G., 1946- | Private investigatorsUnited StatesBiography. | Crime preventionUnited States.
Classification: LCC HV8083.M276 (ebook) | LCC HV8083.M276 A3 2017 (print) | DDC 363.28/9092 [B] dc23
LC record available athttps://lccn.loc.gov/2016057281
TM The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
To our grandchildren: Trevor, Derek, Julia, Shane, Claire, and Graham
Know that you are all unique, beautiful, wanted, and irreplaceable. Your grandmother Martin and I love you dearly. Remember, when you are away from us
physically, you are always in our hearts.
Some say life is a sprint, others a marathon. As grandparents, we like to believe it is more like a relay race, one in which we are hopefully passing batons spiritually, physically, mentally, and academically to you in
your young lives. Use them to be happy but also to help those less fortunate. Now is the time for us to
invest in your future. Be bold and return the favor later in life to others.
Acknowledgments
My heartfelt gratitude and sincere thanks to the following people whose efforts contributed to the completion of this book:
Mike GarroutteLoyal, street-smart, diligent, and patient. At my side for thirty-five years, he worked almost all of the cases in this book. From my chair, he is one of the top private investigators in America.
Brian ChernickyThe originator of the idea for me to write this book. Internet marketing specialist with no peer in the industry; thinks outside of the box with no fluff or spin. Totally responsible for the title of this book.
Paula MillerFor thirty years, my administrative assistant who has overseen and maintained the excellence of our agencys reports. She single-handedly ensured accuracy and clarity when those reports were submitted to judges and/or juries.
Julie McCarronAn exceptional editor and even better person. Knowledgeable, thorough, and ever willing to make the product first-rate. I will be ever grateful for her consistent temperament and contagious enthusiasm for giving the reader our best effort.
Kathryn KniggeAs our main contact at Rowman & Littlefield, she brought character, calmness, and guidance throughout the entire process. Her pleasant demeanor was complemented by a literary guiding hand that was purposeful and enlightening.
BizMSolutionsWe are grateful to Janice Clark for providing us with ongoing support of our online marketing efforts and access to her innovative team of social media marketing professionals. We are thankful for her invaluable guidance and friendly advice.
Introduction
As an ambitious young agent in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD) in the late sixties, I was gung ho about Americas newly declared War on Drugs. Early on I set my sights high and decided I was going to become the number-two guy in the entire agency. Of the two top positions on the BNDD food chain, number one is an administrator chosen by the president. The number-two spot is the deputy administrator. Im not sure I would have had the political moxie to ever reach my lofty goal, but I got off to a strong start. I was on the career fast track as I was quickly promoted through all the government job levels: GS-7, GS-9, GS-11, GS-12, and GS-13, becoming a GS-14 agent in near-record time. Only one other agentthe man who promoted mehad climbed the ladder so quickly.
In the BNDD and subsequent Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which was established in 1973, there is only one philosophy: Get it done. Kick ass; take names; do whatever it takes. Like serving arrest and search warrants and going through doors without a clue who might be on the other side. The work we did was dangerous and punishing, but I never questioned that we were doing the right things for the right reasons and making a difference for good in the world. I was a true believer. I did things by the book. I never deviated from my mission, always followed the rules, and ensured my reputation was above reproach.
My last assignment was supposed to be Floridamy new position a direct stepping-stone to headquarters in Washington, DC, and my ultimate goal. My wife and I had already bought a house there when a leg injury forced me out of service. I did not want to leave, but the DEA physician and my own doctor both insisted the damage was a career-ender, and it was. I would never become deputy administrator. The loss of my job was devastating, and I was melancholy about what could have been for several weeks. Staying home with my two young children brought me back to reality, quickly. I needed to find another career.
Thirty-six years later, I know my forced retirement was the best thing that ever happened to me. As a government agent I made some major busts and put away some highly dangerous individuals, which certainly saved a few lives somewhere. Still, any impact I might have had as a BNDD/DEA agent doesnt come close to what I have accomplished in over three decades as a private investigator. In this job, I change lives every dayand its easy to judge my results. I get the guy out of jail or I dont. I find all the missing assets or I dont, nail that cheating spouse, crack the cold case... or I dont. Theres not a whole lot of gray in this job.
Mainly because of all the movies, television shows, and books starring private eyes, most people have a not-entirely accurate perception of what private eyes do. Here is what you need to know: a top-notch investigator is your best friend in all kinds of situations. He (or she) is trained to solve the mysteries, uncover the problem, and correct misdeeds in a way that keeps you safe, doesnt waste your time, money, or energy, and gets the job done efficiently. You regain your peace of mind and move on with your life!
I always tell people that its better to know me and not need me... than to need me and not know me. In this book you will get to know me, Americas PI. Me meaning not just myself, but some of the other absolute top experts in the business from Martin Investigative Services. I will share some stories from my BNDD/DEA days and talk about some of my more memorable cases from my thirty-five years as a top PI. I want you to see the world the way I see it, so youll be better able to prepare for and protect yourself from lifes inevitable pitfalls.
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