Jeff McDonald

Experience

• 

  US Army

  Apr 1991 - Feb 1999

  Infantry Officer
• 

  Drug Enforcement Administration

  Feb 2002 - now

  • The Deputy Country Attaché | Resident Agent in Charge serves as the second-line advisor to the Ambassador on all international narcotic and drug matters. Provides criminal investigative expertise in developing the host country’s ability to effectively immobilize illicit drug traffic. • Develop strategic/operational/tactical counter-drug plans with the China Ministry of Public Security, representatives of U.S. agencies, other DEA offices, and other international law enforcement partners.• Provide expertise and assistance to foreign agencies on drug law enforcement. 收起 Core Responsibilities • Lead 10-person High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force responsible for conducting long-term, complex investigations into high-level narcotics traffickers and cartel organizations operating in high-trafficking areas along southwest U.S. border.• Provide strategic leadership and oversight to law enforcement agents in pursuit of complex criminal investigations; offer key guidance, coaching, and mentoring on defining best courses and plans of action. Interface regularly with U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure the best courses of action to ensure successful prosecutions.• Manage collection and analysis of data/information to facilitate improvements in methodologies, tools, and techniques, enabling team to effectively scale/optimize operations and mitigate potential risks.• Liaise with key investigative and law enforcement counterparts and stakeholders at local, tribal, state, and federal levels to appropriately share analyses and assessments of potential threats to community members.• Frequently communicate with senior agency management to report on investigation progress; discuss strategies for joint investigations, including roles, responsibilities, and courses of action for execution and prosecution. Key Achievements• Led Pima County HIDTA Investigative Task Force (PCHITF) to meet or exceed all established objectives, including 32% increase in wholesale Value of Drugs Seized and 33% increase in total drug assets seized during FY 2021.• Played instrumental role in leading PCHITF to deny criminal organizations $126.37M+ in revenue in 2020, ultimately resulting in $254 return on investment (highest across all Arizona HIDTAs) for every dollar funded. 收起 Core Responsibilities• Consulted with cabinet-level host nation government officials and senior members of counter narcotics units to assist in developing long-term strategies supporting host nation and U.S. government counter narcotics goals and objectives. • Coordinated with foreign counterpart officers to effectively lead daily operations that supported investigations, ensuring achievement of host nation, DEA, and U.S. government interests. • Served as Regional Training Coordinator and Primary Firearms Instructor for entire Far East Region (FER). Oversaw quarterly firearms qualifications and training for five offices within FER, ensuring offices complied with all aspects of DEA’s operational readiness requirements.Key Achievements• Served as lead case agent on 24 joint investigations; worked with units representing major host nation partners affiliated with DEA, including Office of Narcotics Control Board, Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), and Department of Special Investigation, Immigration, and Customs.• Rendered effective support for creation, management, and implementation of FER training programs in support of host nation counterpart (HNCP) agencies; conducted lectures and assisted with training of HNCP and other foreign agencies within region.• Conceptualized, resourced, and developed a long-term joint DEA/NSB training program by coordinating with Joint Inter-Agency Task Force-West, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and Royal Thai Police NSB. 收起 • Trained and supervised 300+ basic agent trainees at DEA’s Training Academy. Wrote and implemented training curriculum, policies, and processes focused on improving fundamental marksmanship skills and establishing combat-ready mindsets.• Managed $220K+ training budget for 153 emergency medical technicians (EMTs); created prioritization matrix to guarantee optimal utilization of budget and allocation of resources.• Delivered operational medical support and conducted international training to DEA Sensitive Investigative Units world wide. • Built online reference library for EMTs; automated registration and recertification processes and integrated searchable database to improve ease of use.• Consulted on development and implementation of DEA’s continuity of operations plan. 收起 ● Partnered with coalition members from Australia, Britain, China, France, and Germany to create joint investigation strategies focused on disbanding high-value narcotrafficking organizations in assigned region. Presided over joint coordination meetings at ministry level with coalition counterparts. ● Spearheaded joint Afghan-U.S. enforcement operations against three identified narcotics-trafficking organizations and corrupt officials; directly managed confidential sources critical to information gathering.● Led coalition in locating narco-terrorist within region, resulting in successful apprehension of several suspects and transfer of custody to Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan.● Played pivotal role in creation, training, and management of Narcotics Interdiction Unit charged with handling joint investigations alongside DEA.● Worked alongside sponsoring organizations to develop specific airport interdiction group; oversaw daily and long-term operations and facilitated safety awareness training for U.S. and NATO forces on hazards of clandestine opium production laboratories.● Coordinated with Chinese Embassy and British military counterparts to initiate first-ever controlled delivery of narcotics from Afghanistan to China. 收起

  • Deputy Country Attaché | Resident Agent in Charge

    Jul 2022 - now

  • Supervisory Special Agent | Group Supervisor

    Jul 2018 - Jul 2022

  • Special Agent

    Apr 2014 - Aug 2018

  • Special Agent | Emergency Medical Services Program Coordinator & Firearms Instructor

    Aug 2007 - Apr 2014

  • Special Agent | Special Assignment - Foreign Deployed Area Support Team Afghanistan

    Aug 2004 - Aug 2007

  • Special Agent

    Feb 2002 - Aug 2004