Not only is this a chance to get face time with other investigators for networking benefits and have the opportunity to learn from some of the very best professionals in our profession, but you will be introduced to a new program called the Board Accredited Investigator (B.A.I.). This program has been developed to provide you with an additional credential that will enable you to market your services that others will not.  This program is designed to offer you a marketing package along with sample cover letters wherein you will have a tool to stand out as being Board Accredited. This designation will be fully revealed at the conference and you will have the first opportunity to demonstrate you have mastered the profession by acquiring this distinction.

Here is a brief schedule of events:

Special Pre-Conference Training
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

9:00AM     Brian Ingram Email Tracing and Internet Profiling (Part 1)

12:00PM     Lunch Break (On your own)

1:00PM     Brian Ingram Email Tracing and Internet Profiling (Part 1)

5:00PM     Training Concludes

Special Pre-Conference Training
Thursday, October 13, 2011

9:00AM     Vendors Begin Set Up in Exhibit Hall

10:00AM Brian Ingram Email Tracing and Internet Profiling (Part 2)

12:00PM Conference Registration Begins

1:00PM     Brian Ingram Email Tracing and Internet Profiling (Part 2)

5:00PM     Training and Registration End for the Day

5:30PM     FAPI Sponsored Hospitality Suite

Friday, October 14, 2011

8:00AM Continental Breakfast in Vendor/Exhibit Hall

9:00AM     President’s A message from our President Ken Rutledge, Welcome and an introduction of the Board Of Directors.

9:15AM     Introductions sponsors to introduce themselves, the products and the services they offer.

9:45AM     Jay Forgét – Skip Tracing For Legal Professionals

11:00AM Carrie Kerskie – “Generating Income From Identity Theft Services”

12:00PM Conference Lunch in Vendor Exhibit Hall

1:00PM     Diana L. Garren – “How to Retain More Business From Your Current Clients,  & Gain New Clients”

2:30PM     Break in Vendor Exhibit Hall

2:45PM     Special Olympics – “Special Partners” Presentation

3:15PM     Chris Rumbaugh – “An Introduction & Overview To Interviews Or Interrogations, Using Applications of Kinesics & Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) To Determine Construction or Historic recall”

4:15PM     Patrick J. McKenna – “Techniques Used In Investigation of High Profile Cases such as the O.J. Simpson case & The Caylee Anthony Case.”

5:00PM     Meet With Vendors In Exhibit Hall

6:00PM     Hospitality Suite Opens – Dinner on your own

Saturday, October 15, 2011

8:00AM     Continental Breakfast in Vendor/Exhibit Hall

9:00AM     Robert Wyman – “Forensic Photography & Evidence Documentation”

10:45AM Harold McFarland – “Using Social Networking Technology to Gather Information During An Investigation”

12:00PM Lunch Provided in Vendor Exhibit Hall

1:00PM     Kevin Ripa – “The 10 Biggest Myths Of Computer Use”

2:45PM     Mark Rabinowitz, Esq – “Methodology In The Special Handling of Complex Family Law Matters”

3:45PM     Judge Mark Lubet – “How To Testify in a Jury Trial”

4:45PM     Election of New Officers

5:30PM     Hospitality Suite

7:00PM     Conference Formal Dinner & Awards Ceremony, Special Olympics Raffle Announcements Raffle

8:30PM     Poker Tournament Presented by Double Diamond Sponsor Tracers Information Specialists, Inc.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

9:00AM     Conference Farewell Breakfast

10:00AM Group Activity Golf Tournament, Family Trip to Disney’s Magic Kingdom

Please do not let all the efforts Ken Rutledge, and his committee has given this event go to the way side. Attend this function, meet new clients, colleagues, friends and enjoy the assembly of your fellow investigators. Register ASAP. The room rates are very reasonable as is conference rate. There is also a special all day program being offered for $150.00 where as normally it would cost $400.00 presented by Brian Ingram on the tools you will need to conduct computer e mail tracing , etc.

http://myfapi.org/FAPIconference

And who among us can forget grenade-toting Anthony Pelicano, PI and “Wiretapper to the Stars” and his tawdry misdeeds that played out in every newspaper, celebrity magazine and news service around the world?

There is rarely a case made in the popular media about the good things PIs do. There are rarely stories like the recent case handled by Mark Feegel, of Feegel & Associates Investigative Solutions, a private investigator out of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Feegel has been in this business for more than 25 years. While attending college in Atlanta, where he was considering pursuing a career in law, he took a job as a runner for a local law firm.

“Which convinced me, no way, I don’t want to do that. I took the position of, ‘I don’t want to be married to the many problems each civil suit might bring on for years on end,’” Feegel said. “It’s very stressful.”

So instead he took a job as an insurance adjuster in 1985 and diligently worked as an investigator in that field until finally starting his own private investigation agency in 1994. Feegel said that when he started his agency the majority of cases he took were insurance defense cases, because that was familiar territory for him.

“Since then it’s been encompassing all types of investigations: Insurance defense, plaintiff work, mortgage fraud, criminal background, criminal investigation, criminal law, and some marital type things.”

But this recent case didn’t really fit into any of those categories…

Feegel said he was contacted by a man on the recommendation of a local law firm. This man, who we will call “Henry” because the court case has yet to be completely resolved, was fostering two young boys, three and four years old, and wished to adopt them. The children were placed into foster care by the state after their daycare center reported evidence of abuse.

“The kids would go to daycare with feces in their hair, reeking of urine. Just disgusting,” Feegel said. He added that they had lived for a time in a storage facility with their mother, and “her apartment that she’s been evicted from was inspected by the county. Roach infested, maggots.”

Henry wanted Feegel to find out if the children’s mother was still seeing her abusive boyfriend. She was seeking to regain custody of her children and told the court that she had cut ties with him as part of her bid to get her children back.

“And [the foster parents] didn’t believe it, but they were ready to accept whatever the truth is,” Feegel said. “He gave me the case, and didn’t tell me much about the boyfriend, just wanted to know if they ever got together.”

It didn’t take long for Feegel to confirm the foster parents’ suspicions.

“One day. Immediately,” Feegel said. “I set up down the street from her mobile home, and I followed her. She went to this guy’s mobile home and picked him up, and they went to lunch.  Labor Day weekend they were partying together. So, there’s no question they’re definitely together.”

Feegel presented the evidence to the foster parents. It was then that Henry dropped the bomb.

“After I told them I have them on video, they’re definitely together, it’s documented and proven. He started telling me about the abusive boyfriend and that he’s a drug addict.  I ran his background and he is definitely a drug dealer. Battery, assault, all this crazy stuff,” Feegel said. “Then he told me that the two-year-old, when he was one, received a fractured skull from this guy. He was arrested for it. And the four-year-old, who was three at the time, he slammed into a refrigerator. When I heard that I just went, ‘you know what?  Your bill is zero. Let’s get these kids safe.’”

Feegel said that his bill would have been about $1,500 under normal circumstances.

“When it came down to billing time I’m thinking, ‘Why would I take money out of this guy’s wallet and get paid for saving these kids when that money can go to these kids and they can eat and be happy?’” Feegel said. “You know they’ve got a lot of responsibility having two kids. I don’t know if they have any more than that but they’re doing the right thing. At that point money isn’t always as important as doing the right thing.”

Feegel said that the children are being well taken care of by their foster family and, though no custody decision has been made, he has high hopes for the outcome and the betterment of the lives of these two beautiful foster children.

“The kids are going to church, they’re clean, they’re fed, they’re happy,” Feegel said. “Henry just sent me a picture of the kids at his father’s farm where they’re petting a pony. Showing that they’re happy and everything’s good.”

There’s no denying that a lot of what a private investigator does revolves around the question of money; whether it’s an insurance company trying to keep insurance claim proceeds from being paid to a fraudster, a spouse trying to catch a cheater so they can get a larger settlement out of the resulting divorce, or just getting paid for an investigative job well-done. However this assignment was different. The couple who hired Mark Feegel wasn’t looking for a payday… and, in the end, neither was Mark.

This wasn’t a case about money; it was about the welfare of two innocent children. For Feegel his reward was helping those kids, and he feels that says something about the PI profession that the public often fails to recognize:

“This is something that people should understand. We help people too,” Feegel said.

Editor’s note: Great job, Mark! Thanks for doing a fantastic job and always reflecting well on our profession. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Brendan Davis joins CompassPoint Investigations as Director of Communications

GULF BREEZE, FL. – August 2, 2011 – CompassPoint Investigations has named Brendan Davis as their new Director of Communications.

Mr. Davis, who previously held the position of Associate Editor at The Vanguard, will be in charge of expanding and maintaining CompassPoint Investigations’ online presence and social marketing ventures, as well as developing content for their numerous online properties such as Pursuit Magazine and PIeducation.com

L. Scott Harrell, the owner of CompassPoint Investigations and Pensacola private investigator, announced the news. “We are excited to welcome Brendan Davis into the CompassPoint family. Brendan’s passion for developing quality content in many different media formats is endless and he has a history of staying on the bleeding edge where information meets new channels of distribution,” Harrell said. “I am excited about our opportunity to leverage his background in journalism in an impactful way across the diverse facets of our entire operation.”

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to join such a dynamic, creative and vibrant company,” Davis said. “There are so many exciting things happening at CompassPoint, and they are refreshingly enthusiastic about using new media and technologies. It’s a perfect fit, and I’m looking forward to working with CompassPoint and expanding its lead as the most innovative preeminent private investigation firm in the industry.”

Mr. Davis earned his BA in Communications from the University of South Alabama in 2009, and currently resides in Foley, Alabama.

CompassPoint Investigations provides private investigation services, service of process, private investigator training and continuing education, and business consulting programs throughout the Gulf Coast and Southeast United States, including Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama.

###

Contact:
CompassPoint Investigations
4657 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Suite D
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563
Ofc (850) 637-8096
Fax (877) 761-8264

http://compasspointpi.com

FLPI # A 2500251

Title: The Florida Association of Private Investigators, Inc. (FAPI) 2009 Annual Litigation and Investigators Conference

Location: Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay, FL

Link out: Click here

Description: The Florida Association of Private Investigators, Inc. (FAPI) 2009 Annual Litigation and Investigators Conference

August 20, 2009 through August 23, 2009

Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
290 Bayport Drive
Tampa, Florida 33607
Telephone: (813) 874-1234
www.grandtampabay.hyatt.com

Nationally Recognized Speakers include…
Cyril Wecht M.D., J.D.
Paul Ciolino C.F.E., B.C.F.E, C.I.I.
Henry “Hank” N. Didier J.D.
Kelly Riddle Fraud Investigator/Author
Author Jon H. Gutmacher, J.D.
Brian Ingram B.S.
Kevin J. Ripa, EnCE
Carrie Kerskie

Special reduced room rates start at $79.00 plus tax
Free Parking, Free airport ground transportation.
Silent auction benefiting the Special Olympics of Florida, Inc.
Conference rate after July 1, 2009 is $200.00.
Discounted to $185.00 with early registration by July 1, 2009.
Student rate is $150.00.
Non-member rate is $225.00 before June 1,2009 and $250.00 after July 1, 2009.
This is a limited offer. Book NOW as space is filling up fast.
www.MyFapi.org

Sponsor and vendor spaces are available.
Contact Robert Bryan for details.
(850) 522-8010
GulfcoastPI@yahoo.com

Special Mini Conference By Kelly Riddle
This mini conference is $100.00 to attend.
Start Date: 2009-08-20
End Date: 2009-08-23

Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay
290 Bayport Drive
Tampa, Florida 33607
Telephone: (813) 874-1234
www.grandtampabay.hyatt.com

Nationally Recognized Speakers include…
Cyril Wecht M.D., J.D.
Paul Ciolino C.F.E., B.C.F.E, C.I.I.
Henry “Hank” N. Didier J.D.
Kelly Riddle Fraud Investigator/Author
Author Jon H. Gutmacher, J.D.
Brian Ingram B.S.
Kevin J. Ripa, EnCE
Carrie Kerskie

Special reduced room rates start at $79.00 plus tax
Free Parking, Free airport ground transportation.
Silent auction benefiting the Special Olympics of Florida, Inc.
Conference rate after July 1, 2009 is $200.00.
Discounted to $185.00 with early registration by July 1, 2009.
Student rate is $150.00.
Non-member rate is $225.00 before June 1,2009 and $250.00 after July 1, 2009.
This is a limited offer. Book NOW as space is filling up fast.
www.MyFapi.org

Sponsor and vendor spaces are available.
Contact Robert Bryan for details.
(850) 522-8010
GulfcoastPI@yahoo.com

Special Mini Conference By Kelly Riddle
This mini conference is $100.00 to attend.
Start Date: 2009-08-20
End Date: 2009-08-23

++++

Mark Feegel and Chuck Chambers,

I was forwarded your/FAPI March 27, 2009 Statement/Press Release. In this Press Release you state that you are refraining from speculation regarding the Caylee Anthony murder case, and the Florida Association of Private Investigators, Inc. (FAPI) “is speaking out”.

You begin by stating: “The Private Investigators who involved themselves in the Anthony case appear to have acted in violation of the regulatory provisions governing the investigative profession . . .” You further state that in Hoovers Deposition, he testified “ . . . “he performed investigative work for both Agencies and unless D&A was subcontracting work to Class Action, or unless Hoover was an employee (not subcontractor) of Class Action and subsequently D&A, Hoover and both agencies allegedly violated the law”.

Also you state “ . . . it is a shame to have this type of embarrassing activity on a high-profile tragedy such as the Caylee Anthony case . . .” Then you abruptly state “The credibility of the private investigator and, indeed, the actual investigation he conducted, may be called into question . . . leading to disastrous results for the client”

Below I have provided extracts of James Hoovers December 18, 2008 Interview with OCSO and FBI, also extracts of James Hoovers March 25, 2009 Deposition. You will note that James Hoover secretly videotaped the Anthony family while at church and without their knowledge, James Hoover states that he was not working for anybody and he intended making money from the photographs or video.

In his deposition, James Hoover stated that he did not become involved in the investigation of the case and that he offered the Family help.

December 18, 2008 James Hoover Interview with OCSO and FBI
Page 2 Line: 1 Q. Okay. And Uh, some of the pictures you have on here uhm, you have some pictures of, of, of uh, George and Cindy inside of the church? . . . page 2 Line: 3 A. Uh, yes sir . . . page 2 Line: 4 Alright, or a video of George and Cindy . . . page 2 Line 5. Yeah (Affirmative) . . . page 2 Line: 6 . . . In a church? . . . page 2 Line: 7 Yeah (Affirmative) I was playing with a camera . . . page 2 Line: 19 Did they know you were video taping them at the time? . . . page 2 Line: 20 Uh, no sir . . . page 2 Line21 Okay. Who, uh, who are you working for . . . page 2 Line: 2 Nobody page 4 Line: 2 Alright what were you going to do with these photographs or this video tape? . . . page 4 Line: 4 I think earlier you said you were going to make some money . . . page 4 Line: 5 Yeah . . .

March 25, 2009 Deposition
page 17 Line 23: Q. How did you become involved in the investigation? A. I . . . page 18 Line 1: . . . didn’t become involved in the investigation of the case . . . page 18 Line 3: Q. I didn’t understand what you said . . . page 18 Line 4: I didn’t become involved in the investigation . . . page 18 Line 5: part of the case . . . page 18 Line 6: Q. What is your involvement In the case? . . . page 18 Line 14: . . . I just thought these people needed help. I’m going to go there and offer these people help as a citizen. I wasn’t the only person that did that, by the way, certainly.

For your information, D&A Investigations, Inc. have worked this Case since July 2008 and continue to do so under a Retainer Agreement with the Anthony Family. James Hoover is not affiliated, employed nor subcontracted by D&A nor has ever been. Furthermore, he never performed any investigations in connection with this Case for D&A or the Anthony Family. James Hoover “offered” to help the Family with security then engaged in unforgivable acts such as, secretly videotaping the Family and myself in an attempt make money. For the record, your allegations directed toward me and my Agency are false, baseless and have injected uninformed opinion’s to the public arena.

Kindest regards,
Dominic Casey, Private Investigator
D&A Investigations, Inc.

++++

March 27, 2009
For Immediate Release
_____________________________
Press Release

Florida Association of Private Investigators Deplores Reports of Unlicensed Activity

Florida Licensing Statutes are clear; The Private Investigators who involved themselves in the Anthony case appear to have acted in violation of the regulatory provisions governing the investigative profession as set forth in FSS 493. Public should be aware of Licensing Statutes

++++

Fort Lauderdale, FL, March 26, 2009: While refraining from speculation regarding the Caylee Anthony murder case, the Florida Association of Private Investigators, Inc. (FAPI) is speaking out about the activities of the private investigators allegedly working for the Anthony family and their defense attorney having possibly violated of Florida statutes.

FAPI, which represents about 400 Private Investigators in Florida and across the U.S., reacted strongly to news reports today about and the publication of a deposition involving one the PIs working the Anthony case.

Mark Feegel, who is Co-president of FAPI and a licensed Private Investigator since 1993, along with Chuck Chambers, said, “This is exactly the type of activity FAPI tries to prevent,” says Mark Feegel, “with peer group education, annual seminars and familiarity with licensing statutes”.

Feegel is referring to Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Chapter 493, which governs and licenses private investigators in Florida. “The chapter clearly states that someone possessing a Class C Private Investigators License – as did James D. Hoover, the subject of the deposition on March 25th, must be employed by a licensed Class A Private Investigation Agency. It is clear from the deposition that Hoover, with only a Class C, was sub-contracting his services to several Class A Licensees, namely D&A Investigations, owned by Dominic Casey, and Class Action Detective Agency, owned by Alan Buchanan”.

In Hoover’s deposition, he testified that he performed investigative work for both agencies and unless D&A was subcontracting work to Class Action, or unless Hoover was an employee (not subcontractor) of Class Action and subsequently D&A, Hoover and both agencies allegedly violated the law.

“The 493 Chapter is very clear on this point,” says Chambers, who has been licensed as private investigator since 1982, “Class C licensees may not engage in investigative services except through a licensed Class A agency. Moreover, Class C licensees are prohibited from subcontracting, which, according to the sworn testimony of Hoover, is what he has been doing for years”.

Chambers explained, “Florida Statutes dictates that Class A agencies may sub-contract work to another Class A agency for assistance, but Class C Private investigators are statutorily prohibited from doing so on their own”.

Chambers said fully licensed and legally operating PIs in FAPI “are always running across unlicensed activity, including those who possess neither a Class C nor a Class A license and there is little we can do but report it to the Division of Licensing.”

Apparently even if caught, there isn’t much of penalty for not being licensed and the type of activity testified to in Hoover’s deposition could only result in one or more of the following actions from the Division of Licensing, “Issue a reprimand; deny an application for issuance of a license; impose an administrative fine not to exceed $1000; or, place the licensee on probation”.

“Given the training and experience required to get a license in Florida”, said Roger Gibson, a retired U.S. Marshal and private investigator in Miami since 1977, “and given the potential harm to the constituents in Florida, there should be a significant fine and it should also be a serious criminal offense to blatantly act as a PI without proper licensing.“

Feegel and Chambers concede it is a serious problem but said FAPI is working with a few State Representatives and Senators to try to get changes made to the licensing statute. Until then, it is a shame to have this type of embarrassing activity on a high-profile tragedy such as the Caylee Anthony case. There are many experienced, qualified, licensed and insured PIs available via the FAPI website where the public can search for a local and properly licensed PI. Many have extensive working knowledge of criminal investigations, missing children and abuse cases as well as corporate and financial fraud investigations. It is also imperative the public know the Florida Division of Licensing provides individual and agency licensing information available on their web site.

A business or individual who ends up hiring a private investigator who is not properly licensed may find themselves in a predicament if the investigation leads to a court action. “The credibility of the private investigator and, indeed, the actual investigation he conducted, may be called into question,” said Feegel, “leading to disastrous results for the client”.

Harvey E. Morse, the founder of FAPI, a licensee since 1975 and former Chair of the State’s Advisory Council agrees. He said, “We work hard to maintain our integrity and investigative skills. The statutory language is clear. Violating the statute subjects the client to having testimony by an improperly licensed PI simply thrown out. People, who circumvent the law for personal gain, do so at their own risk. Our State Association polices the industry by reporting unlawful activity, and we are proud that our members’ license status is verified before accepting them into our organization”.

Neither of the Anthony PIs are members of FAPI.

++++

Source Files and Contacts for further background.

1. Florida Statutes, Chapter 493

http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0493/PART01.HTM

2. Hammond Opinion Letter, 1982: http://myfloridalegal.com/ago.nsf/Opinions/C724F68AEFBFF071852565850068EF97
3. FAPI Website: http://www.myfapi.org
4. Hoover Depo Draft: http://www.cfnews13.com/uploadedFiles/Stories/Local/Hoover%20Deposition.pdf
5. Additional Private Investigators:

Contact:

Mark R Feegel Chuck Chambers
Feegel & Associates Investigative Solutions Chambers Investigations
St. Petersburg, FL Bradenton, FL
727 526 7499 941 798 3804

Roger Gibson Gregory Caldwell
South Area Director, FAPI Legislative Chair, FAPI
Roger P. Gibson, Inc. White Hat Solutions, LLC
Coral Gables, Florida 33134 Lakewood Ranch, FL
305-856-9431 941-751-4500

For more information visit www.fapps.org

Start Time: 9:00
Date: 2009-06-13