The Deadly Path: How Operation Fast & Furious and Bad Lawyers Armed Mexican Cartels

Pete Forcelli did what members of the U.S. Congress encourage government employees to do: he spoke up when he saw misconduct within the federal government. But choosing to be a whistleblower almost cost Forcelli his job, his possessions, and his reputation as a law enforcement official.

"In a raw and unflinching account that details his harrowing journey as whistleblower in the Fast and Furious federal scandal, Forcelli shows the public and personal cost of standing up for justice." --Jonathan Green, author of Sex Money Murder: A Story of Crack, Blood, and Betrayal

Pete Forcelli was a highly respected federal agent in New York City, where he made an impact on violent crime by successfully targeting some of the city's most violent street gangs by using federal racketeering and continuing criminal enterprise statutes in conjunction with federal prosecutors. In early 2007, he was promoted to a supervisory position in Phoenix and quickly discovered that federal prosecutors were not charging criminals for violating federal firearms laws, even in instances where they knew guns were being trafficked to ultra-violent drug cartels and then used in crimes that were shocking to the conscience.

When those very same prosecutors spoke about possibly indicting John Dodson, a special agent who blew the whistle on Operation Fast and Furious, Forcelli stepped forward and contacted Congress. Forcelli became a whistleblower himself, detailing how federal prosecutors in Arizona not only failed to prosecute gun traffickers, but allowed a man who was making hundreds of hand grenades for the Sinaloa Cartel to continue his operations unabated for years. At that moment, those prosecutors and officials from the Department of Justice came after him, leading to a nearly four-year battle for Forcelli to clear his name.

This book provides his insider's account of the scandal that stands as one of the worst stains on federal law enforcement.

Author: Peter J. Forcelli, Keelin MacGregor
Publisher: Knox Press
Published: 03/05/2024
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9798888452646


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/15/2024

About the Author
Peter J. Forcelli is a recently retired Deputy Assistant Director of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), where he served as head of training. Before becoming a Special Agent for the ATF in 2001, Forcelli was a NYPD homicide detective and survivor of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Forcelli became widely known as a whistleblower for the highly publicized Operation Fast and Furious scandal. He suffered retaliation at the hands of highly placed individuals in the Department of Justice for shining a light on their mistakes, but ultimately prevailed in seeking justice in a settlement through a lawsuit he filed with the United States Office of Special Counsel.

Forcelli is a respected investigator noted for developing complex criminal investigations targeting armed gangs and criminal organizations. He has made over one thousand arrests and has served over three hundred search warrants. He is well regarded by those who have worked with him for his unwavering commitment to what he calls "investigative excellence." His work in the investigation into the Neese Bello Organization led to members of the group pleading guilty to over 145 home-invasion-style robberies. Still, Forcelli is best known for his efforts to fight for justice in instances where he has uncovered injustice. He has been involved in the exoneration of eight people who were wrongfully arrested and convicted in the Bronx, New York, for murders they did not commit.

Forcelli is also a cancer survivor--he developed lung cancer from the rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero. He is a recurring guest speaker at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.

Keelin MacGregor is the recently published coauthor of Amazon #1 New Release JANE DOE #9, a tell-all memoir covering the life of abuse victim Lizzette Martinez, who was featured in the show Surviving R. Kelly. A collaborative writer and editor, she grew up in the publishing industry reading manuscripts for agents at an early age. Kate spent many years creating proposals and reviewing manuscripts for literary agents and authors, editing for Lorincz Literary Services, working as a freelance editor, and writing posts and content for social media companies. Based in Seattle, she reads everything she can squeeze in throughout the day.