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Former police detective looks back on 15 years undercover


Former Phoenix Police Detective Jack Ballentine shared stories Monday about the 15 years he spent working undercover to an audience of about 60 people in the Pima Auditorium of the Memorial Union.

Though Ballentine juggled seven different undercover identities, he was best known for posing as a hit man, he said. His investigations led to 24 indictments for murder conspiracy charges, all of which resulted in convictions.

The former detective, who now heads the Phoenix Fire Department Arson Investigation Squad, said one of the biggest challenges faced by undercover investigators is maintaining their identities as law enforcement officers.

“You really do lose yourself,” Ballentine said. “The problem with undercover [officers] is that they can get caught up in the moment — they can get caught up in that lifestyle.”

Ballentine was involved in many murder conspiracy investigations but always tried to convince his “clients” to back out of the contract, he said.

“I met many people that wanted me to kill somebody,” Ballentine said.

“When it was all said and done, after 15 years, 24 people showed me [full] commitment [to the contract].”

The event was hosted by the newly-formed ASU chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, headed by accountancy senior Darek Kochman and faculty associate Joe Epps.

The association, which is responsible for accrediting fraud investigators, also helps students prepare to enter the field and tries to educate students about fraud, he said.

Kochman said Ballentine could help give aspiring investigators insight into building sound cases that lead to convictions.

“What’s really important here is that he has 24 convictions in 24 indictments,” Kochman said. “What Jack can show you is how to build an iron-clad case for the prosecution.”

Epps, a forensic accountant, said he asked Ballentine to speak at the University because his story is fascinating enough to attract students from all backgrounds.

“Jack has a wealth of investigative experience and his approximately 15 years of undercover work is a fascinating story,” Epps said. “I think the students will enjoy finding out how he was able to stay undercover so long and still maintain a real life.”

Ballentine, who has posed as a mob enforcer, a member of a biker gang and a contract killer, said his career was an up-and-down but ultimately satisfying experience.

“That was the beginning of 15 years of a living hell,” he said of being recruited into the department’s undercover unit after a stint as a patrolman.

“But I really had a good time doing it.”

Reach the reporter at derek.quizon@asu.edu.


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