LTC 191-2002CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager...
Letter to Commission No.
To:
From:
Subject:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez--~,~//~'
City Manager
U.S. Attorney's Office - Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Award
Date: August 5, 2002
This letter to commission is to inform you that Detective Deborah Travis has received the
U.S. Attorney's Office "Outstanding Law Enforcement Officer Award" to Detective Deborah
Travis for her participation in Operation Money Pit as a member of the H.I.D.T.A. team.
Operation Money Pit was a 17 month Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
(OCDETF) and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Agency (HIDTA) wiretap investigation where
undercover agents, posing as drug dealers, delivered multiple boxes of purported drug
money to United Express Inc. and Gloria Exchange Corp., two South Florida money
transmitting companies. These deliveries totaled over $2,300,000. The defendants, in
turn, would convert the purported drug money into $100 dollar bills so that it would be
easier for the undercover agents to smuggle out of the country. The defendants also wire
transferred some of the money out of the United States to help pay for additional
shipments of drugs. As a part of the investigation, 98 simultaneous search warrants were
executed, over 120 subpoenas were issued, 140 boxes of financial records were analyzed,
over 55,000 separate items were provided in discovery and 16 individuals and 2
corporations were indicted. The prosecution, which included a 1-month trial and a 2-week
trial, resulted in either convictions or guilty pleas in all but one of the arrested defendants
and significant prison sentences for the leaders of the conspiracy. Additionally, a forfeiture
verdict in excess of $8,000,000 was also returned.
This was an intensely complicated investigation requiring long hours and a consistently
dedicated effort. Detective Travis is to be commended for her participation in the process,
her professionalism, and her service to our community.
JMG:DW~:tr
C: Detective Deborah Travis
F:~OLi~a~D MilCH 1~2002~.TC Travl$.doc