Episode #129 High Truths on Drugs and Addiction with Monte Stiles and Drug Crime

How has the landscape changed for Drug Crime? Listen to Monte Stile share his career experience as a federal prosecutor. Is smoking Hookah safer than marijuana? Sarah, a pharmacy student ask a question. Listen for an answer. Monte Stile

I served my entire professional career as a state and federal prosecutor. As a state prosecutor for the first five years, I started with crimes such as speeding, theft and drunk driving, but within a short time, my cases changed to more serious crimes such as burglaries, robberies, crimes involving the abuse and neglect of children, and many violent crimes including murder.

Some of my most rewarding assignments, as well as some of the most heartbreaking, involved working directly with kids “in the system” for a variety of crimes often influenced by the poor choices of adults in their lives (but sometimes the result of their own life choices despite positive adult influences and many opportunities.) Many of these poor choices, by adults and juveniles, were related to some form of substance abuse. As a result of these experiences, I helped form and run the first full-time drug prosecution unit in Idaho history.

In 1987 I was appointed as an Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Idaho where I supervised the Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force – a group of agents, analysts and prosecutors who investigated and prosecuted high-level drug trafficking organizations including Los Angeles street gangs, drug cartels, methamphetamine manufacturers, and international drug smugglers and money launderers. Some of these cases involved decades of investigation working with state, federal and foreign law enforcement agencies in pursuit of evidence and witnesses across the United States and foreign countries such as Hong Kong, Thailand, Fiji, Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, and various locations in Europe. Because of the nature of my caseload, I was also a sworn Special Deputy United States Marshall for most of my career.

In 1995, I served as Special Counsel to the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys in Washington D.C. where my primary assignments involved domestic terrorism, violent crime, juvenile justice, and narcotics.

As a result of my career experiences, I had the opportunity to teach in many places that included the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina, numerous state and regional law enforcement conferences, and five international organized crime seminars where I worked with prosecutors, judges, and police officers from the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, and Croatia.

During this same time, I was also a passionate drug educator and speaker for schools, businesses, churches, law enforcement agencies, prevention groups, and other youth and parent organizations. One of my proudest personal and career achievements was the organization and implementation of the statewide "Enough is Enough” anti-drug campaign which produced community coalitions in every area of Idaho.

In 2011, after realizing that three decades of experience provided me with a unique opportunity to prevent much of the pain inflicted upon children, families, and communities because of substance abuse, I left government service in order to devote all of my time as a keynote speaker and trainer at local, state, regional and national conferences relating to drug policy, law enforcement, youth leadership, drug prevention, corporate training, and maintaining safe communities. I am particularly focused on national policies that impact youth substance abuse.

My speaking style combines real-life experiences as a federal drug prosecutor, working with kids, and my love of the outdoors. After life-long exposure to the darkest aspects of society, and the realization that these experiences affected my ability to appreciate some of life’s simplest pleasures, a growing interest in nature and wildlife photography led to my rediscovery of everything that is wonderful in life -- a world full of amazing people, beautiful landscapes, fascinating creatures, and boundless opportunities and adventures. Consequently, at the end of every presentation, I use stories and images to illustrate the dramatic difference that choices bring – either the darkness of a toxic and dangerous drug culture or a life filled with beauty, joy, children, families, friendships, safe communities, and healthy brains and bodies.