Jerry Salameh is a retired DEA agent who spent 28 years of service as a criminal investigator, regional program manager, and supervisor in the U.S. and abroad. During his tenure with the DEA, Jerry was stationed in Colombia, Bahamas and Miami.
Jerry first started in Colombia in 1993 when Pablo Escobar was still the preeminent drug lord. Escobar was killed six months into Jerry’s stay. After Escobar’s death, Jerry continued to travel to Medellin with Javier Pena to track Escobar’s gang. With his partner Chris Feistl, Jerry was assigned to the agency’s Bogota office and worked with the local police and the Colombian nationals to hunt the Cali Cartel leaders. Two years into his time in Cali, Jerry led the team in the capturing of Gilberto and Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela, the heads of the cartel.
Jerry served as a principle in the design, implementation, training and deployment of the first DEA-sponsored vetted Special Investigative Unit in
Colombia, a critical component in supporting the U.S. counter-drug strategy that spawned similar units globally.
Right now, Jerry operates a private investigations firm in the States. He loves investigations and traveling so much that he’s made it his job as a way of continuing the thrills he got from working abroad in Colombia. However, it’s not the same as actually being there. Therefore, Jerry is incredibly excited to get back on the ground and apply those investigative skills to finding Escobar’s money in Season 2. He’s similar to Chris in experience but has the ability to blend in with the locals. This makes it easier for him to alternate between management and being operational. He, like Chris, was also a rising star in the agency and focused on oversight. His work on the ground in Colombia, Peru, and in the Bahamas has given him a host of experiences to draw from. Jerry worked hand in hand with Steve Murphy and Javier Peña- the two agents who hunted down Pablo and that background gives him a wealth of first hand experience to make more informed decisions. Like Chris, Jerry is used to being the captain behind the wheel (like when he ran a post out of the Bahamas) and this is the kind of expertise that will be needed to lead the charge in our quest. Being longtime friends and coworkers with Chris, they will make an excellent partnership as head honchos on this mission.