CIA operative caught red handed?

Ok, I've been following this story since it broke months ago, and it is indeed a strange one. Every new bit of info that has come up has just made it stranger. Until the mention of methamphetamine.


It's not something I'm proud of, by any means, but I was addicted to the garbage for several years, and under that context nothing about this story seems out of the ordinary.

From my personal experiences with the hell that is meth addiction, I've known and/or associated with people involved in every single thing this guy was doing.

Counterfeiting?
Check. I knew someone who was raided by the Secret Service for counterfeiting small bills, and they must have been good quality because he allegedly passed $30,000 before they caught up to him. Fake checks is the big thing with meth dealers though.

Weapons Manafacturing?
Check. Have you ever known anyone with a garage full of high-end machining equipment worth upwards of $3mil? I have. He made silencers. I also knew who to see if I ever wanted to get my hands on anything from RPGs, to grenades, to nitroglycerin.

Surveillance?
I don't think I ever knew a tweaker who didn't stare out a window with binoculars for hours on end at some point. The fact that this guy was watching the Federal Reserve is just coincidence, in my opinion. I used to watch a police station...

Everything else is fairly common in the world of meth distribution as well: fake IDs, multiple aliases, meth production(duh), etc.

As far as the CIA mosaic, that's an interesting one, alright, but not too much of a stretch from other "tweaker projects" I've seen. When you're awake and high for days/weeks on end, you start doing some strange things.

And the photo with Bono? As far as I'm concerned that's a non-issue. For example, I have photos of myself with dozens of celebrities, from Willie Nelson to ZZ Top to Al Gore. Does that mean I'm connected or that I travel in more exclusive circles? No. I simply used to be a manager at an arena. Anyone could potentially have photos with celebrities like that.

I don't believe this guy is any sort of agent/patsy/whatever. Just a drug addict.


*DISCLAIMER*
I am in no way advocating or attempting to glamourize the use of methamphetamine. It is a terrible drug that makes people do terrible things. I would give anything to have those years of my life back. And for the record, all the people I mentioned above have since been incarcerated.



[edit on 28-6-2010 by AdmireTheDistance]

reply to post by AdmireTheDistance


Thanks for your input, and thanks for sharing your experience. It probably wasn't easy to disclose.

The "meth lab' trappings as pointed out to me by other posters, seems to be an assumption made on the board, not a fact presented by the news. That said, it seems like a fairly typical set of symptoms for a meth user to have counter surveillance equipment, weapons, and forged documents.

The "CIA Mosaic" is interesting though. In my former line of work I used to deal with drug houses of all kinds and we would find all kinds of goofy things in them. We would find shrines, sometimes Nazi regalia, lots and lots of pornography, just about anything that can be collected.

There has been some mention that this guy wasn't a "common criminal" because he wasn't doing "common criminal things." I have to disagree there. If a crook wants an illegal weapon there are two ways to get one. He can either buy one on the black market, or he can obtain an otherwise legal one and modify it with illegal parts. There is nothing out of the ordinary here as far as that goes, and as scary as that sounds, illegal machine guns, explosives, etc are all out there floating around.

Forgery, counterfeiting, and ID theft are the new cottage industry crimes associated with drug culture, and have been a staple of organized crime for decades. Around here, they sell all kinds of decent looking fakes to people at flea markets.

I think maybe this guy was more delusional than anything else. In reality, he was a common forger with a gun fetish, who dreamed of a Hollywood style bank take down. In his mind, he was a secret agent, or a high ranking organized crime guy. He apparently spent his illegal money as fast as he got it, which again, is fairly typical of drug culture. These guys aren't usually rich, they just pretend they are.

He also fled to his girlfriend's house a few blocks away, not some safe house never to be seen again.

Comm

telling you the dude got his picture stolen by pron/dateing sites id link it but as im new i dunno the rules about posting links to porn and dont want to offend any one but if any one just "happens to research such sites.....lol like alot of us do" im sure i will find the pic but every one ive shown that image to have had the same reaction

reply to post by commdogg


I still don't know....That's a pretty smart meth-head to be putting glue on his fingertips so as not to leave fingerprints....I mean...even if I was sober and found myself in his situation...short of "training" I don't know how I would come up with that idea....

Could this guy be the one who dropped the dime on these guys?
DOJ: 10 alleged Russian intel officers arrested

www.abovetopsecret.com...

DOJ: 10 alleged Russian intel officers arrested

www.google.com


WASHINGTON — Ten Russian intelligence officers have been arrested for allegedly serving as illegal agents of the Russian government in the United States, the Justice Department announced Monday.

Eight of 10 were arrested Sunday for allegedly carrying out long-term, deep cover assignments in the United States on behalf of Russia.

Two others were arrested for allegedly participating in the same Russian intelligence program within the United States.

Each of the 10 was charged with conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in pr
(visit the link for the full news article)
e the one who dropped the dime on these guys?

[edit on 6/28/2010 by SUICIDEHK45]

reply to post by AdmireTheDistance




you forgot to mention the fake i.d forgeries. i dont think your average tweaker would use 7 different aliases and strictly live by it. it all just doesnt add up, either we dont have all the information to this story or hes been taken in by our government so he can be hidden. therefore letting police continue on with their goose chase.

Ok, here is the deal... If he was really CIA, he wouldn't have to manufacture arms... they have the best weapons tax payers money can buy. Also, if he was CIA he wouldn't have to watch the reserve through binoculars from an apartment .. CIA / Fed Reserve - they are bed fellows and all the same. He could walk through the front doors. Or if for some reason they actually wanted to spy on them.. they would plant him on the inside.

Originally posted by Fingersoup
Ok, here is the deal... If he was really CIA, he wouldn't have to manufacture arms... they have the best weapons tax payers money can buy. Also, if he was CIA he wouldn't have to watch the reserve through binoculars from an apartment .. CIA / Fed Reserve - they are bed fellows and all the same. He could walk through the front doors. Or if for some reason they actually wanted to spy on them.. they would plant him on the inside.

He does not have to be CIA there are tons of agencies and clients in the Intel community - many not known to most of the world. He could be an undercover opeative with anyone. He could be a foreign operative since espionage is alive and well. He could be part of the mob.

There is absolutely no standard description of who is an operative. Nor is there a standard behavior that says one is or is not an operative.

reply to post by AdmireTheDistance

And the photo with Bono? As far as I'm concerned that's a non-issue. For example, I have photos of myself with dozens of celebrities, from Willie Nelson to ZZ Top to Al Gore. Does that mean I'm connected or that I travel in more exclusive circles? No. I simply used to be a manager at an arena. Anyone could potentially have photos with celebrities like that.

It wasn't just a photo with Bono. Apparently, through-out the investigation, police kept getting to celebrities or other high-profiles. According to other evidence, apparently this guy would fit right into certain social circles via certain celebrities. Of course it's LA which is not that hard to believe, however I don't believe him to be meth-head. There is nothing to suggest he is a meth-head. Sure, there was a prior for meth but that certainly doesn't mean that he was using it.

For all we know, it could have just been a charge for the pre-cursor. For instance, if you have at least two of the over-the-counter chemicals that are needed to make meth, you can be charged with a felony, even if the cops find nothing else.

Also, if he was a meth-head, I find it hard to believe that he would be counterfeiting bills, IDs and passports as well as manufacturing weapon parts... but he didn't have a single thing in that apartment relating to methamphetamine. If he was a meth-head, I'm sure he would cook his own dope, especially if he is making his own weapons, IDs, passports and money.

Remember, the only connection with methamphetamine was years ago for a prior arrest and to tell you the truth, that makes him stink even more as in collusion with the government.

--airspoon

reply to post by SUICIDEHK45

An 11th defendant, who allegedly delivered money to the defendants, is at large.

news.yahoo.com...

I would say so, He was their money man. Fake money that is, I called this one. Its amazing what the FBI can do when someone is playing against their wishes in their schoolyard.

Russia is going to be ticked off now, My bet is Obama will hand them back to Russia in the name of peace and brotherly love.

Do you think we could get Orly Taitz added in as a 12th Russian spy just so we could get rid of her?

isnt the federal reserve in san francisco, not LA?
This is strange though. but if he was a CIA operative, spy etc. how could they catch him, wouldnt he know how to hide himself from the police? charging of selling drugs, but no counterfeit or manufacturing weapons, fake id's etc?

reply to post by smokn442


Apparently there is an LA branch

en.wikipedia.org...

In my opinion if this guy were really a serious guy, he would have used one of his fake IDs to vanish and he wouldn't have had them stacked up in the apartment either. This guy was a clown.

And furthermore the CIA, the mob, and the police department never employ clowns as everyone knows.

Edit to add: Were clown shoes found in the condo?

[edit on 29-6-2010 by ipsedixit]

reply to post by airspoon

It wasn't just a photo with Bono. Apparently, through-out the investigation, police kept getting to celebrities or other high-profiles. According to other evidence, apparently this guy would fit right into certain social circles via certain celebrities.

I realize it was more than just that one picture, but to my knowledge, no details of anything associating him with other celebrities or"high-profiles" has been made public. If there are more details available I would love to hear them. However, I still don't quite understand how it can be assumed that someone would "fit in" with certain circles based on photographs alone.

Again, based on my previous line of work I have photos of myself with several prominent entertainment/political figures. I have a picture of myself, in suit and tie, posing with a smiling Al Gore (complete with Secret Service in the background). From that photo alone it could be assumed that I would "fit in" with the political/global warming circles that Mr. Gore runs in, however, nothing could be further from the truth.

...if you have at least two of the over-the-counter chemicals that are needed to make meth, you can be charged with a felony...

I'll admit that I don't know the laws pertinent to pre-cursor ingredients in California (I don't even know all of the specifics here in NM), but I just can't believe that. In my house right now I have 2 or 3 boxes of ephedrine -based pills (I live with 4 other people), countless batteries, a few dozen matchbooks scattered around (I'm a smoker), and probably even some ammonia and plastic tubing (I have fish) around. Does that mean that if I lived in California and police searched my house for whatever reason, that I could be charged with a felony? I certainly hope not...

...If he was a meth-head, I'm sure he would cook his own dope, especially if he is making his own weapons, IDs, passports and money.

Not necessarily. The people I knew that did weapons parts/IDs/checks/etc. were all meth-heads, but none of them cooked their own (a few did on occasion, but not regularly). Instead they traded their "services" for the dope they needed from the cooks/traffickers. The resources available to those involved in organized criminal groups would amaze most people. I learned far more than I ever could have cared to, but even then I know it's just the tip of the iceberg as far as what the cartels are capable of.

Remember, the only connection with methamphetamine was years ago for a prior arrest...

Ah. See, I wasn't aware of that. My info on the meth connection came from somewhere here on ATS. Guess I should have researched that a little more, eh?

Even if drugs weren't a factor in this incidence, the guy could have easily picked up his criminal "expertise" in all these other things while he was involved with meth.

I respect your and everyone else's opinion on the matter, and I'm certainly open to the possibility that there may be much more to this, but I'm inclined to believe otherwise. It just seems way too sloppy for anyone with actual ties to the intelligence community.

Just my 2 cents

reply to post by AdmireTheDistance


First of all, batteries aren't used in making modern meth, lol and neither is ammonia (I believe). Also, these days, instead of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine is used now. It's easier to get and makes much better crystals. I believe those ingredients mentioned above were all used in older cooking methods that actually took a make-shift lab.

For match-books (red phosphorus), you need more than a few match-books, something around a few thousand. However, if you have "HEET" and iodine for instance or even thousands of match-books, you can be charged with a felony for having pre-cursors, at least in several states (if not most or all). It really doesn't matter how many people you are living with or what you are using the over-the counter chemicals for.

I have known someone to be arrested (I have also known someone to do the arresting) and charged with "pre-cursors" for having both of those chemicals. He spent a fortune on his defense before being acquitted but he still lost as he spent a fortune on his defense. For people without the money for an adequate defense of for people who aren't lucky enough to get a justice loving jury, they are going to go down. It doesn't make it right but it is reality.

As far as ID makers, the IDs made are usually state IDs and for the purpose of only obtaining the pseudoephedrine. You see, due to federal law, they have to run your state ID to purchase a limit of the cold medicine every 90 days. So, to get around this, Meth cooks usually need fake IDs.. and good ones at that. They buy the cold medicine under different identities. This guy was making passports, not state IDs. Passports are much harder to make and pointless for the purposes of buying cold medicines which removes him even further from being connected with meth.

Also, my point is that this guy was making everything else, in what looked like a one-man stop, if he was into meth, you would think that he would make that too. It is more than clear that he wasn't making the ID for a meth operation and there really is nothing to connect him to meth, other than a prior several years back.

Moving along to the weapons, while it is fairly common to see manufactured weapon parts such as silencers, it doesn't really take a machine shop to do. To be manufacturing lower-receivers, bolts and barrels, is something that isn't too common at all.

For his social circles, it was much more than just pictures. during the investigation, the police interviewed several people who knew him, to include certain famous types and others who attested to it.

While of course he could just be your everyday average two-bit criminal, his actions and the evidence found is certainly not typical. There is nothing typical about this guy unless we are talking about intelligence operations or extreme organized crime. Anything is really possible, though nothing is certain at this point.

--airspoon

p.s. - I know about the meth manufacture not because of any criminal activity on my part, rather I was surrounded by it growing up and anytime going back home. I also have several friends who are either K-9 officers or narcotics officers, though sadly, I don't talk to them much anymore. I, myself have never really been into drugs. With that being said, I don't believe that it's our right to tell others what they can or can't put into their own bodies. If someone wants to go smoke crack or shoot heroin, then it doesn't bother me unless it effects me.

Well, I know he's apparently American and from NJ, but his name is Alexik, he was making fake ID's and passports, counterfeiting money and had access to weapons.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Perhaps there's a connection?

reply to post by airspoon


I see you know your stuff.

I'm aware the 'precursor' example I gave is ridiculous, I was merely showing an extreme that 'precursors to meth' could be taken to, and as stated, I am unfamiliar with the actual laws.

A few things:
-Batteries are still used (though rarely) as a source of Lithium, for use as a reducing agent during manufacture.
-Ammonia (specifically anhydrous ammonia) is absolutely used. It's the counterpart to the Alkali (i.e. Lithium). For the sake of information, HERE is a 2-page PDF detailing all sorts of information on Ammonia and meth labs. (*NOTE* this is from a government site, oehha.ca.gov, and contains only scientific/health related information)
-I'm very sorry to hear about your friend that was arrested. Again, I was unfamiliar with the pertinent laws, and that's a real eye-opener.
-I never thought of that use for IDs, though it seems obvious. I've known them to be used for passing fake checks, and yes, passports (for entering the US from Mexico).
-I have no knowledge whatsoever of the complexities of machining various weapons parts, I was simply giving an example of something similar. Thanks for the information.

I could keep going, but I have no desire to start any arguments or to further derail this intriguing and informative thread with further discussion about illicit substances and my colorful past.

The point I was trying to make (and I should have made it more clear) is simply that there is more than one scenario that could explain most of the peculiarities in this case.

One of the premises put forward in this thread is that Alexik may have ties to the CIA. I am open to this possibility, but I find it incredibly unlikely given the simple fact that he was caught. Especially the sloppy things that led to him being caught. Gas fumes (according to America's Most Wanted, it was fumes from meth) and going to your girlfriend's house? Amateur!
I suppose it could all be staged as part of a more elaborate covert op or something of a similar nature, but until there is more evidence pointing that direction, I believe there is probably a much more mundane (relatively) explanation

"There is nothing typical about this guy unless we are talking about intelligence operations or extreme organized crime."

I think organized crime is the most likely scenario, although I don't think that it has to be all that 'extreme'. I may just be pessimistic, but I believe that 'operations' such as this one are becoming far more common than most people would ever care to know.

reply to post by AdmireTheDistance


Just one quick thing, the fumes that were smelled, were apparently from the gasoline powered generator for the machine-shop. There was nothing found in his apartment relating to methamphetamine, at least that they released to the public.

As far as meth and the ingredients to make it, there was an older way of doing it that required an actual lab setup and some harder to find materials. However, over the years a newer way to make it has turned up that allows you to put the whole lab setup in a backpack, that also makes a more potent crystal. No longer do cooks have to set up expensive, elaborate and tell-tail labs, as they can simply contain everything inside of a carry-on bag and make a more potent drug at a much lower cost.

CIA assets can easily screw up as it happens all of the time. Remember the Bay of Pigs? Remember the CIA airplane that went down with 5 tons of coc aine and 1 ton of heroin? Remember Barry Seal? The thing is, crap happens and there isn't much you can do about it. CIA assets are people just like you and I, and in a state like America where 1 in every 100 adults is currently in prison (that's a bigger ratio than Soviet Russia had), an operative or two is bound tp be accidently exposed from time to time.

Also, I'm not trying to say, "your wrong and I'm right", only countering with the information that I have. I'm just simply trying to get to the bottom of this, wherever that bottom may be. I value everyone's opinion and don't want people to be mislead into thinking that this can easily be explained away by meth. While meth may seem like the easiest fit at first glance, upon further analysis it wouldn't seem so. Really, there is nothing to suggest meth, save for a prior several years back.

--airspoon

reply to post by airspoon


I must say, you bring up many valid points and it's quite apparent you are significantly more knowledgeable about the particularities of the case than I am. I still believe it is more likely that Alexik is involved with a relatively small-scale organized criminal group (with or without the tenuous meth connection), as opposed to the CIA, so in that regard I must respectfully disagree with you.

Much like yourself, I too am also interested only in discovering the truth behind this entire bizarre situation. I am also not trying to simply state that "I'm right and you're wrong", and if I have come across that way, it was unintentional and I must apologize.

Everything I have put forth is simply my opinion on the matter, and nothing more. Furthermore, I will be the first to admit that based on my personal experiences, my opinion is most certainly biased to some degree. I too value the opinions and respect the arguments presented by all individuals, and I am open to any and all possibilities.

One thing that does still confuse me (and hopefully you can shed some light on this) is the conflicting reports. I have seen the report where it states that the fumes that initially alerted police were from the gas generator he was using, but then there is also this report from America's Most Wanted that says the fumes were from chemicals used in washing currency for counterfeiting. It was never stated they were 'meth fumes', that was my mistake, although the AMW link does clearly state that meth was a factor (though admittedly no other sources make that connection).

The America's Most Wanted information states it is valid as of June 4th. Is the other information more recent perhaps? Of course I suppose if he was tied to CIA, it would make sense that there would be conflicting reports, so as to obscure the real truth of the matter.

Anyhoo, I look forward to any further insight you may be able to offer on this (and other) topics. Keep up the excellent work, my friend.