Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Photo: Steve Murphy Print Cite Basically, these were a scary bunch of guys, and it was their civil war against the government that gave Escobar space to flourish. Played by Argentinian actor Alberto Ammann, Pacho is openly gay, which becomes a plot point in Season 3. DEA continues to honor their sacrifices with a redesigned space featuring newly commissioned portraits, a dignified brass display area, respectful 24-hour illumination, and an interactive kiosk that shares the stories of each hero. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. One agent was found guilty of pocketing $700,000 during the operation and sentenced to two years in jail. 1 Fallen Officer. Read more >, Leslie S. Grosso of the New York State Police was shot on May 20, 1974, during an undercover operation in New York City. Or should we say, he liked the girls. The two only drifted when Escobar started attacking the Colombian state, something Cali worried would spark a confrontation they couldn't win. So, so many spoilers below From the get-go, Narcos makes one thing clear about its version of Pablo Escobar. Admitting that it is, in fact, less harmful could have been especially awkward for Leonhart, considering the DEA at the time was in the midst of an aggressive crackdown on medical marijuana facilities. Two days later, Villareal died. Admission to the DEA Museum is FREE. It's a dramatic, intense scene. Read more>, On August 6, 2015, Washington State Patrol Detective and Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officer Brent L. Hanger was participating in a joint WSP and DEA marijuana eradication effort on public lands outside of Yakima, Washington. We have the war on drugs to thank for these. On February 7, 1985, a group of corrupt Mexican officials kidnapped DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who had infiltrated the Guadalajara Cartel. AsThe Guardian reports, the producers sourced actors from all over the Americas to play the Colombian characters. Our hearts and thoughts and prayers go out to the families, the friends and to those officers that have been subjected to this gun violence.. So, yeah, the one "good" narco from Narcos was actually as shady as his career would suggest. This has been an incredibly difficult week for federal law enforcement, he said. The DEA raided a woman's house because she'd shopped at a garden store. As of Oct. 5, 55 law enforcement officers had been killed or wounded so far this year, approaching the five-year high set in 2018. That's not to say everything Pena does in Season 3 is fiction. It's a dangerous time out there and increasingly we see more rounds being fired, often in the ambush style attacks., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Read more >, 8701 Morrissette Dr Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. On October 4, 2021, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Michael G. Garbo, investigators from DEAs Phoenix Field Division, and Tucson Police Department officers were conducting interdiction operations on an Amtrak train in Tucson, Arizona. After more than five years of critical medical care, Task Force Officer Arnold succumbed to his injuries on May 23, 2021, remaining always a hero dedicated to his colleagues, friends, and family. Sometimes, he would have them all murdered afterward. Meet the DEA agents who captured Pablo Escobar - Khaleej Times Cali's social cleansing gangs would track down gay people alongside street kids and prostitutes murder and mutilate them, then throw their bodies into the Cauca River with a sign tied around their necks that read "clean Cali, beautiful Cali." Two Mexican nationals living in south Texas were later arrested and charged with murdering a federal agent as well as possession of intent to distribute 303 pounds of marijuana. Steve Murphy and Javier Pea are the real-life federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents portrayed by actors in the TV series "Narcos" on Netflix. ine Cain. He also stated that the FARC's fight against the United States was also his fight and that he had been "fighting the United Statesfor 10 to 15 years." Episode 1 "The Kingpin Strategy". Central and South America and China. Read more >, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent George D. Althouse was killed on May 28, 1992, during an attempted car theft in Shelby County, Alabama. At one point, so many undesirables were dumped in the Cauca that the cost of removing the bodies bankrupted a downriver municipality. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Other times, the damage isn't physical. An ABC News report in 2008 found that the DEA lost 91 weapons from 2002 to 2007, often in humiliating, or at least seemingly implausible, fashion. That was apparently enough to authorize a raid. U.S. Government Line of Duty Deaths. Acting Deputy Director of the ATF Tom Chittum told ABC News in an interview it has been a hard week for federal law enforcement. A DEA agent left important case documents lying around a suspect's house. The US State Department once called Fidel Castao "more ferocious than Escobar.". He was 36 years of age at the time of his death. Tanks blasted the palace with shells. Special Agent Ralph N. Shaw, a passenger in the plane, was also killed in the crash. DEA Agent James "Terry" Watson, Killed In Colombia, May Have Been This wasn't to protect them. Special Agent Weston was assigned to the Kabul, Afghanistan Country Office. DEA Agent Career And Salary Information - Criminal Justice Degree Schools In 2010, the DEA and the International Association of Chiefs of Police released a report providing key arguments against drug legalization. Read more >, On August 28, 2008, while attending the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, Special Agent Thomas J. Byrne was severely beaten and mugged while walking to his hotel. An official website of the United States government. At A+E Networks EMEA youll find a team of innovative, creative and collaborative people who embrace change and want to continually try new things. None of this is a problem at all if you can't speak Spanish. International Arms Dealer Viktor Bout Convicted in New York of Fighting the war on drugs is apparently not always very precise work. The father angrily contacted the informant, according to reports, and the confrontation eventually led to the father's arrest as well. It was only when a newspaper resurfaced his conviction for cocaine possession that Escobar finally got the Congressional boot. Corrupt DEA agents made millions off the drugs they were supposed to be taking off the street. During the search, Task Force Officer Arnold was shot multiple times and rushed to a hospital. DEA agents working with local authorities on a Honduran anti-drug mission shot and killed smuggling suspects in two separate incidents over the course of a few weeks in 2012. He was 35 years of age at the time of his death. Speaking to Hollywood Reporter, real-life DEA agent Chris Feistl explained that Salcedo was holed up in fear of his life when the real Navegante died, and we still don't know who pulled the trigger. State and local governments are increasingly acknowledging through policy shifts that marijuana is less harmful than those more potent drugs. Manuel Castells went into some depth in his book End of the Millennium. Before Friday, the last DEA member to die was Arthur L. Cash, 39, special agent in charge of the DEAs office in Sierra Vista, Ariz. Cashs car was hit head-on by a truck in August, 1987, as he transported three prisoners from Bisbee to Tucson. Indeed, Villareal's case is an extreme example of what has become a trend of concerning incidents.