About me
On January 1st 2004 I retired with the rank of Master Sergeant (MSgt) from the United States Air Force (USAF) after a twenty-year career as an Airborne Cryptologicanalyst/Electronic Warfare Specialist. I was a crewmember throughout my career on multiple aircraft, including EC-130H Compass Call, E-3 AWACS, and RC-135 (various configurations). After retiring from the USAF, I attended Arizona State University in order to complete my degree program that fulfilled the requirements to be a Forensic Scientist. In December 2005 I earned my Bachelor of Applied Science degree (Chemistry Concentration), graduating Summa Cum Laude.
Toxicology: Alcohol & Drug Analysis
Immediately after completing my degree, I continued my relationship with the Phoenix crime lab which began with an internship in August of 2005. Over the next two years I volunteered in the Evidence Processing Unit and worked as a contract laboratory technician in the Forensic Biology section. And in October 2007 I was hired as a Forensic Scientist in the Toxicology section where I was trained in and performed all of the primary analyses and duties of the section to include: Alcohol analysis of blood and other biological fluids by headspace/gas chromatography (HS/GC), drug analysis of blood and urine by enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique (EMIT) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and supporting the Breath alcohol program (Intoxilyzer 8000 and portable breath testers).
Firearms & Toolmarks
In February 2014 I transferred to the Firearms section where I was trained in and performed a variety of analyses that include firearm function testing, firearm predictions, bullet and casing comparisons, serial number restorations, and National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) database entry and correlations. During my career with the Phoenix crime lab I testified 178 times as an expert witness in City of Phoenix municipal and Maricopa County Superior courts on analyses I performed or as a subject matter expert. In early July 2017 I retired from the City of Phoenix Police Department crime lab.
I am now self-employed as an independent forensic scientist and am available for case review and expert witness testimony in DUI and firearms related cases.