[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 11, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1129-E1130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN RECOGNITION OF MR. STEVEN S. SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JENNIFER WEXTON

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 11, 2019

  Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Mr. 
Steven S. Smith, who is retiring from the Drug Enforcement 
Administration, after 24 years of law enforcement service, culminating 
as Supervisory Special Agent assigned to the Pharmaceutical 
Investigations Section as the Group Supervisor for Mobile Diversion 
Team One (MDT-1) based in Springfield, Virginia.
  Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Steven Smith entered on duty with the 
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on March 15, 1995 in Miami, 
Florida. SSA Smith was first assigned to the Los Angeles Field 
Division. During his fifteen-year tenure in Los Angeles, then Special 
Agent (SA) Smith worked in enforcement groups targeting methamphetamine 
production and trafficking, and Asian heroin distribution. Working in a 
multi-agency environment at the Southern California Drug Task Force and 
LAX Group Three, SA Smith coordinated surveillance operations with over 
a dozen different law enforcement agencies while supporting Title III 
investigations. While investigating narcotics and money couriers 
passing through LAX airport, SA Smith's intelligence background in both 
law enforcement and the military enabled him to rapidly link detained 
suspects to active federal, state, and local criminal investigations 
around the country and build partnerships which enhanced the quality of 
the LAX-G3 cases.
  In August 2010, SA Smith transferred to the Las Vegas District Office 
as a member of the Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS). While assigned to 
the Las Vegas TDS, SA Smith led an investigation targeting a doctor and 
an international organized crime ring responsible for the distribution 
of tens of thousands of prescription tablets. This investigation 
resulted in the seizure of over 8000 d.u. of oxycodone, $58,000 U.S. 
currency, and evidence identifying a local pharmacy as a significant

[[Page E1130]]

oxycodone and hydrocodone source of supply. During his tenure at the 
Las Vegas TDS, SA Smith's investigations brought money laundering 
charges, substantial monetary civil penalties, and regulatory sanctions 
to bear along with Title 21 violations against DEA registrants and 
diversion drug trafficking organizations (DTOs).
  In November 2012, SA Smith was promoted to Group Supervisor (GS) of 
the Oakland Resident Office TDS with an area of responsibility which 
included over 50,000 DEA registrants in 15 counties of northern coastal 
California. GS Smith enhanced the mission effectiveness of the group by 
directing major enforcement initiatives at high value targets within 
the TDS Area of Responsibility (AoR). Asset seizures from his group 
increased nearly four-fold from $510,180 to $1,989,741, which enabled 
GS Smith to persuade local agencies to double the number of 
investigators assigned as Task Force Officers to the TDS. Under SA 
Smith's leadership, Oakland TDS investigations charged eight doctors 
and three physician's assistants with criminal offenses and put them 
out of business for good.
  Prior to employment with the DEA, Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) 
Smith served on Active Duty as an Army Reserve Military Intelligence 
Officer at the South Florida Investigative Support Center (now the 
South Florida HIDTA Intelligence Center). SSA Smith served in Iraq 
under the U.S. Army V.Corps during the 2003 invasion. SSA Smith 
maintained staff oversight of all tactical human intelligence 
operations in theatre while serving as the CJTF-7 Task Force 
Counterintelligence Coordination Authority charged with the de-
confliction of all counterintelligence operations in the Iraqi Theatre 
of Operations. SSA Smith holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal 
Justice from Florida International University and currently resides in 
Loudoun County with his wife and two children.
  I am proud to represent Mr. Smith in Congress and I thank him and his 
family for their honorable service to our nation with the United States 
Army. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating 
Mr. Smith as he concludes a distinguished career in public service.

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