Epidemic of Choice - A DEA Story by Don Nelson

About the book

Don Nelson's novel, Epidemic of Choice - A DEA Story, is about a fictitious heroin investigation conducted by the DEA.

In this story, Jake Shaunessey is a veteran, sixteen-year DEA agent who has never in his career been confronted by a crisis so grave, or a drug dealer so vile. A heroin scourge of epidemic proportions is threatening the social fabric of Minnesota. He vows to identify the source and bring justice to the scum responsible.

Tips point to a man called Eddie as the individual running the heroin smuggling ring. Jake directs his energy to the task of identifying the mysterious Eddie.

With little information, Jake and his team make a number of probes into the heroin ring, but is seems every attempt leads to tragedy, disaster, or dead end trails. The arrest of a heroin addict/burglar in Fargo finally provides a real break in the case, and Jake succeeds in identifying a North Dakota ranch which is an important cog in the heroin trafficking operation. The DEA zeroes in on the ranch.

Surveillance indicates the elusive Eddie is at the ranch, along with others in the organization. The agents close in and soon discover that the one who wields the real power in the organization is not Eddie, but rather a murderous socio-path called Big Al Culpepper. Big Al has a morbid and diabolical secret. When the heat closes in on him, he devises a deadly plan to keep his secret under wraps.

Bringing Eddie, Big Al Culpepper, and their violent drug dealing organization to justice proves to be more of a challenge than even an agent with Jake's experience could have anticipated. Complications evolving during the investigation combine with sleazy politics and personal adversity, culminating in the chain of events that prove very costly to the DEA agents.

About the author

Author Don Nelson was raised in Minnesota. In 1964 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and after two years at the Marine Base in 29 Palms, California, he was selected for duty as an embassy security guard. Following four months of intensive training in Washington, DC, he was assigned to the American Embassy in Madrid, Spain, where he worked for over two years. During his tour of duty in Europe, he learned of the mission and responsibilities held by Special Agents with the DEA's predecessor agency, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNDD).

After separating from the Marine Corps, he attended the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, where he earned a BA degree in Political Science.

Following his graduation, he was hired by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Special Agent. He devoted his twenty-one year career with the DEA to investigating organized drug trafficking rings operating at the national and international level.

By the time of his retirement, he had been awarded five commendations by the DEA for his investigative accomplishments. His wife was also awarded a commendation for her perseverance in support of her husband's career and the DEA's mission.

He enjoys hunting, fishing, and playing his saxophone.