Investigators of the Year
Christopher Bringmann
Police Officer, Seventh Precinct, Nassau County Police Department
On January 17, 2008 at 0915 hrs, while on routine patrol in RMP 720, Officer Bringmann did respond to the Budget Inn Motel parking lot. He observed a car parked in an unusual manner and ran the plate in NYSPIN. When the information came back, the registered owner was a HIT from Suffolk County for a Missing Suicidal person. He contacted Suffolk County and confirmed that this person was still missing. He was informed that the subject had been very violent and combative and that prior to leaving his residence he grabbed numerous kitchen knives, so he should be considered armed and dangerous. Officer Bringmann requested assistance from the adjoining post cars. The assisting officers arrived as Officer Bringmann interviewed the clerk at the front desk. Officer Bringmann ascertained that in fact the missing person had signed in under his real name. Officer Bringmann got a key to the room and the officers made their way to the subject's location. When they tried to enter, a sofa barricaded the front door. Apparently, the subject had observed the police presence in the parking lot and was extremely agitated. Using safe tactics, the officers made entry by pushing the sofa and gaining access to the hotel room. No subject was observed in the room. They heard the shower water running in the bathroom, and carefully made their way to search for the subject. The subject was observed fully clothed, inside the shower stall with the water running, holding a knife. Although he had slit his wrists and was profusely bleeding, he lunged at the officers. At first, Police Officer Bringmann attempted to subdue the subject with OC spray, but with the water running, this had no effect on the subject. With their guns drawn, they ordered the subject to put the knife down. The subject refused, and continued to lunge at Officer Bringmann and was also taunting him in an apparent attempt to induce a "suicide by cop". Emergency Service Officers had been requested and were responding. For 45 minutes, these officers continued to talk to the subject trying to reason with him and prepare to get him the medical assistance he desperately needed. Although Officer Bringmann was in danger, due to his close proximity to this armed, mentally unstable individual, he continued to show restraint and professionalism while waiting for assistance. The subject started showing the effects of losing large amounts of blood. He was becoming lethargic. Finally, Emergency Services arrived. The subject was Tasered and successfully subdued with no further injuries to the aided or any of the Police Officers. The subject was transported to the nearest hospital where he was treated for his injuries. Police Officer Bringmann took the initiative to locate this individual, personally put himself in danger and ultimately worked together with his assistance to bring this incident to a peaceful conclusion.
William J. Callahan
Special Agent, Financial Investigation Team (FIT), Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force, New York Field Division (NYFD).
Special Agent William J. Callahan is recognized for his relentless work in the area of narcotic financial investigations which has resulted in the seizures of over thirteen million United States dollars, the seizure of over 100 kilograms of cocaine and the dismantling of complex narcotic money laundering operations. Since February 2008, SA Callahan performed investigative duties while serving as the Acting Group Supervisor assigned to the Financial Investigation Team (FIT), Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force, New York Field Division (NYFD). SA Callahan joined DEA in February 2000 and was assigned to the NYFD. Prior to joining DEA, SA Callahan worked as a paralegal at the US Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey in the Asset Forfeiture Unit. It was during this time that SA Callahan learned the importance of stripping the profits and assets away from drug dealers. Upon SA Callahan's arrival in the NYFD, SA Callahan quickly immersed himself into multiple drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) that laundered narcotic proceeds through the Black Market Pesos Exchange (BMPE) system. Through this system, DTOs laundered their drug proceeds by exchanging pesos for dollars, which were exchanged for consumer goods ultimately bound for Colombia. In October, 2006, a high ranking official of the Guardia di Finanza's briefed SA Callahan, regarding an Italian investigation into a large scale Albanian drug distribution network operating within Italy. This Albanian DTO was responsible for trafficking substantial amounts of heroin and cocaine. This DTO utilized an Informal Value Transfer System to launder their illicit proceeds. The system is based upon a Hawala Network, and the network extends from Eastern Europe into Western Europe then via UAE to Pakistan. Working with information provided to SA Callahan by law enforcement authorities in the United Kingdom, UAE, Spain and Colombia SA Callahan was able to identify a Colombian DTO which PATEL was working for. During the investigation into PATEL and associates, SA Callahan realized that PATEL was engaging in a BMPE system and had been diverting some of the funds into a New York based commodity and futures exchange brokerage house. SA Callahan immediately employed the assistance of the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). With the assistance of the CFTC and NYMEX, SA Callahan learned that PATEL was laundering money through the purchase and sale of commodity futures. Further investigation conducted by SA Callahan revealed that PATEL and his organization had set up multiple accounts at the brokerage house. SA Callahan coordinated with the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) and, he was able to obtain seizure warrants for 16 accounts. The total amount seized was over $6.2 million USD. While serving as the FIT acting group supervisor, SA Callahan provided investigative experience, leadership and guidance into two significant and highly complex money laundering investigations. The first investigation centered on the laundering of drug proceeds by Mexican DTOs through the purchase of high value watches and the second concerns the use of off-market foreign currency exchange. In November 2008, SA Callahan questioned a defendant arrested for possession of 25 kilograms of cocaine. While the defendant initially provided limited information regarding his involvement in drug trafficking, the defendant stated to SA Callahan that on at least two occasions he delivered narcotic proceeds to a jewelry store in Queens, NY. Soon thereafter SA Callahan coordinated a four-month investigation into the jewelry store which resulted in the seizure of approximately $500,000 USC and the development of a confidential source. The investigation reveled that narcotic proceeds were being used to purchase high value watches which in turn were being sent to and sold in Colombia and Mexico. Further investigation into this method used by a New York based Mexican DTOs, resulted in the seizure of over 100 kilograms of cocaine, 7 kilograms of black tar heroin and over $1,000,000 USD. In April 2008 SA Callahan received information from the CFTC regarding the arrest of Ingrid LOITEN in the country of Zambia on money laundering charges by the Zambia Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC). Through press reports, SA Callahan learned that $7,000,000 USD was also seized by the Zambia DEC. SA Callahan further learned through reviewing wire transfers processed through a New York based wire clearing house, that LOITEN had a foreign currency exchange account at a brokerage house in New York. In June of 2008, SA Callahan working with the IRS agents in Orlando, Florida identified a Complaint filed by the National Futures Association against I TRADE FX LLC and Isaac MARTINEZ. The Complaint alleged that LOITEN, along with David SMITH, Gareth HARRIS, TCI FX and OLINT CORPORATION had engaged in highly suspicious trading activity at I-TRADE located in the Orlando, Florida area. SA Callahan further identified that a portion of the money that entered into I-TRADE, flowed into a New York based brokerage house. Through analysis of this information, SA Callahan had determined that monies controlled by David SMITH passed through a bank in the Turks and Cacios Islands (TCI). SA Callahan coordinated with the TCI police and learned that according to high level confidential information that David SMITH is associated with narcotic traffickers based in the Caribbean. Through extensive debriefings of law enforcement sources and the review of financial documents, SA Callahan prepared the necessary probable cause in SDNY to obtain a seizure warrant for four (4) accounts located at the brokerage house in New York. As a result, the NYFD and the DEA Orlando District Office were able to seize over $6.3 million USD.