Las Vegas experiences helped prepare FBI head for L.A.

Crime fighter will lead one of the largest offices in the nation

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Steve Marcus

As head of the FBI’s Las Vegas division, Steve Martinez has seen “the whole gamut” of violent crimes. Martinez predicts a flood of mortgage fraud and white-collar crime in the next year or so.

More Sun crime coverage

FBI: Las Vegas field office

One of Steve Martinez’s first experiences as the head of the FBI office in Las Vegas played out at a carwash.

Killing time, he watched a woman who had just won a jackpot at the poker game inside the lobby. Next he saw her step into the ladies room. When she came out, a man lunged forward, pushed her back in and locked the door.

Martinez drew his firearm. He could hear the woman screaming. He pounded on the door. He yelled “FBI!” He yelled “Police!” He tried everything his training from years ago had taught him. “It was,” he said, “a real-world experience for me.”

Next month Martinez takes his weapon and his badge — and a wealth of experience — to Los Angeles, where he will run one of the largest and most prestigious FBI field offices in the nation. It is his next stop after three and a half years managing the Las Vegas division. The move is a major promotion for a career agent who at 51 has given nearly half his life to the bureau.

Much of that time he clocked behind a desk, working as an administrator supervising other agents. He served as the first on-site commander in Doha, Qatar, and Baghdad in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. He deployed FBI personnel and managed counterterrorism and counterintelligence efforts in the initial phase of the war.

In 2003 he was assigned to the Cyber Division at FBI headquarters in Washington. He was acting assistant director of that division when he was appointed head of the office in Las Vegas in March 2006.

“This has been an interesting challenge,” he said in an interview, preparing for his move. “Las Vegas brings with it some things you may not see as much as in other FBI field offices. Everybody’s bad guys end up here eventually.”

The local division includes roughly 230 agents and staff, in contrast to a Los Angeles operation of nearly 1,400. But those who have worked with Martinez said he will adapt quickly. “Steve is a bridge builder,” said Daniel Bogden, the U.S. attorney here. “Los Angeles is a huge position. It’s high, way up in the FBI food chain. And Steve has great vision.”

In Las Vegas, Martinez beefed up the office’s fugitive apprehension unit, and it scored big by helping the Nevada Highway Patrol arrest Warren Jeffs, a notorious Utah religious leader and polygamist. He was stopped on I-15 north of Las Vegas in a red Cadillac Escalade stuffed with cell phones, laptop computers, three wigs and more than $50,000 in cash.

“Any given week we have multiple fugitive arrests here,” Martinez said. “Those we get involve a serious felony — rapes or murder or violent crimes. So we run the whole gamut.”

He also spearheaded efforts to investigate criminals preying on Las Vegas’ failing economy, and helped set up the Southern Nevada Mortgage Fraud Task Force. Last week a man from Anaheim, Calif., was indicted in federal court here in a scheme involving straw buyers and falsified mortgage documents; the alleged operation netted nearly $180,000 from fraudulent transactions.

Martinez predicted an avalanche of new mortgage fraud and other white-collar crime cases in the next year or so. His agents now, he said, are working “hundreds of cases” involving victims who lost millions of dollars.

“Do that a number of times, and that can add up to a substantial amount,” he said.

Martinez said his successor, expected to be announced soon, will also need to train an eye on organized crime elements from Eastern Europe who have been setting up operations in the Las Vegas area. He said that while not as entrenched as the Mafia in old Vegas, new groups from former Soviet bloc countries are nonetheless spreading their influence.

“It’s really polycrime,” he said. “Anything to make a buck, from drugs to credit card fraud, any other kind of white-collar crime, strong-arm robbery, even shoplifting.”

Like the man who was trying to rob the woman at the carwash. He was a repeat offender, and when the woman burst out of the restroom, Martinez subdued and handcuffed him. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Maybe Martinez will have to make an arrest in Los Angeles too?

He smiled. “Let’s hope not,” he said.

Discussion: 16 comments so far…

Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy.

By Det__Munch

Nov. 18, 2009

7:35 a.m.

Suggest removal

dwms

You couldn't put all of this in one post - with maybe bullet points to emphasize each "allegation"?
By LORDGLENMORE

Nov. 18, 2009

8:06 a.m.

Suggest removal

It's always nice to see our law enforcement agencies getting the support and encouragement they deserve.
By unclegig

Nov. 18, 2009

8:22 a.m.

Suggest removal

I can see that dwms' blogged contains a lot of personal grudges against Martinez and the more I read them , the more I lost interest in their contents.
By environprotector

Nov. 18, 2009

8:27 a.m.

Suggest removal

Mr. Serrano , your article here falls short on this point: What was the outcome of the robber of the woman in the toilet? Inquiring minds want to know..
By rodtig

Nov. 18, 2009

9:49 a.m.

Suggest removal

dwm's
One the FBI was evaluating and spearheading the counter terrorism and couter intellegnce on terrorism in Iraq.There were multiple agencies who were involved in the WMD's investigation in Iraq.
Your first comment was completly off the mark.
What people know is what they are told by the press and the opponets off the war on terrorism.
I do not like the fact that people are so tunnelvisioned on the war in Iraq.Remember one thing Hussain was a rat and was smart enough to get rid of his arsenal before the U.S.,Britian and the collition forces went in.The only thing we did wrong was allow Hussain time to send the WMD's out to Iran and other bordering countries who supported him.Think about this we were focused on Iraq and all the sudden without warning Iran has the same thing we were looking for in Iraq.Hmm.
There was enough intellegce from other countries intellegence divisions to support the decission to move in.Not just U.S. Intellegence alone was the factor in the decission.Even the U.N. believed that Iraq had WMD's just never confirmed them because the inspectors were always diverted or stopped by Hussain.
Agent Martinez has worked hard in defending our country from crime terrorism for more than half his life and you need to show him some respect for his devotion to public service.Anyone who wants to discredit someone for their honest service to the public has issues with themselves.
To Mr.Martinez congradulations on your promotion and Thank you for your service to Las Vegas and Southern Nevada Good Luck in Cali and keep protecting us. I hope to here you are the Director of the FBI one day you have one of the toughest jobs in the country.
By rodtig

Nov. 18, 2009

9:59 a.m.

Suggest removal

dwm's
The investigation of LVMPD would fall under State jurisdiction first until their is evidence that would bring in the Feds.Their are laws in place that automatically bring in The FBI,such as,Kiddnapping ,Bank Robbery,ect.But the FBI will focus on Federal crimes first then if other investigations grow and there in evidence of federal crimes involved they will come in.So Mr.Martinez was allowing the State lawenfforcement to work the case so the FBI could focus on other investigations like the new organized crime that is attempting to move into Las Vegas and Southern Nevada.
dwm's go back to school and listen to what your taught and gain some common since
By nsaspecialagent

Nov. 18, 2009

1:51 p.m.

Suggest removal

serrano is using lies in a propaganda piece, to hype his own kind. if this corrupt martinez was more than a mexican mafia drug cartel member, he would have arrestted the members of the bush crime family. the f b i office in los angeles, ca is now more corrupt with these type in there. tony villar is a gang member, and criminal, is martinez going to arrest him or help cover up the acts of corruption, and crimes? will the fbi las vegas nv office have another corrupt mexican in charge? no doubt
By Vegas-Bound

Nov. 18, 2009

6:11 p.m.

Suggest removal

The article tells it like it is. Agent Martinez is a decent man who has dedicated his life to public service, helping to keep our nation and our citizenry safe. You guys need to take your BS paranoia elsewhere.
By Burrittobandit2

Nov. 18, 2009

7:29 p.m.

Suggest removal

He is going back from where is from; South Central. Hang with his hommies and listen to oldies.