April 3, 2024 • 47 mins
Author Abe Collins a former Police Officer and DEA Agent talks about his new book "GLADEATORS The Pursuit of Craig Petties from Memphis to Acapulco" on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.
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(00:06):
Still your good Will and good TimeStation ten seventy w d I A listen
on the free iHeartRadio app for allyour music radio and podcasts. Free Never
Sound is so good with a hardand soul of Memphis. Ten seventy w
d I A Memphis Show Up Time, Memphis talking and all away, Help
(00:31):
you go, you go so gettingready in time shoot show. Let's go
bet justin we you make gord Byhere wrog listen to want to say you
(00:54):
know where's time of the Belt ofFish shout. Let's go Good afternoon and
(01:49):
welcome back to the second half ofthe BEV Johnson Show. Here at w
d I A hope you're doing welltoday. Put your ears on as we
share some information with you this day. Very special guest in the studio.
He is an author. He isa retired de EA Special Agent, private
(02:12):
investigator, Private investigated license and Iwant to ask them all that good stuff.
His name is mister Abe Collins.His book is called glad deea Tours.
I love that the Pursuit of CraigPettis. Y'all remember that name to
talk about that from Memphis to Acapolco. And let me say good afternoon and
(02:38):
welcome to the first time to theBEV Johnson Show and do w deia.
Good afternoon to you, mister Collins. How are you. I'm well,
good afternoon of you, and thankyou for inviting me. You are so
welcome. So first of all,as always, as I like to tell
our listeners, tell us a littlebit about Abe Collins. Well, I
(03:05):
grew up here in Enphis, wentto high school here, attended one of
the local schools, White Heaven HighSchool, graduated in nineteen seventy six,
left here, went to the TennesseeState University, which is a rival to
(03:28):
to Miss Jackson. Alma mar here. I believe you, are you absolutely
right the I love Jackson State University. Yes, ma'am, Yeah, yes,
ma'am. Played football up at TennesseeState, did you I did?
I most certainly did. I playeddefens back there from Mike nineteen seventy six
to I left and graduated in nineteeneighty one. And during my time there,
(03:53):
I majored in criminal justice, whichI kind of realized years ago as
you read this book, we wouldrealize why I chose that profession. A
major in criminal justice at Tennessee State. I had a good time there,
and I must say those were thehardest days of my life. My life
hadn't been that hard since what man, what you saying? It was hard?
(04:17):
Football was hard? Come on,mister Collins, now, yes,
ma'am, Yes, ma'am. Youasked it a tiger. We got this
saying it's so hard to be aTiger. Yeah, hard, so hard
to be a Tiger. Hey,that's in my blood. Lift, Yes,
ma'am, it was. That's whywe used to take here Jackson State
every year. Oh yeah, okay, See he wants to rub it in.
(04:40):
See y'all, he wants to rubit in about Jackson State. Okay,
yes, ma'am, we did.Okay, yes, ma'am, we
did. Yeah, we did.Get out a doubt. So. So
after graduating from Tennessee State, cameback home to Memphis. Yes, ma'am,
I sure did. And you decidedto pursue that career in criminal justice.
(05:08):
I most certainly did. I joinedthe Memphis Police Department. Okay,
how long were you on the MemphisPolice Department. I was in the academy,
started in like October nineteen eighty one, and graduated in the spring of
eighty two. And I was usedto work in the South Preast sint midnight
shift. From then I was selectedor earned a spot on the police department
(05:31):
taching unit. And at the timethey didn't have that many officers like me
looked like me on attact unit.I got on there like eighty eight.
One of my best friends, AdieJones is now I believe it's clerk for
the one of the courts we waspartnered. Yeah. Yeah, it used
to be a county commissioners yeah,ed and I was friends and we spent
(05:55):
the time on there until you know, during that time, I was always
trying to get in federal law enforcement, and around nineteen eighty one I got
selected for the drug enforcement and Iwent to the Academy DA Academy in Cornico,
Virginia and graduating in like mayl nineteeneighty one. So during that time,
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mister Collins uh working for the MemphisPolice Department, and you saw a
lot of criminal activity going on,didn't you. I saw a lot.
I mean I've done a lot,and it's a lot of it is in
the book. Yeah, yeah.A lot of my experiences on the police
department was in the book and stillin the book. And I wrote about
that some of those experiences which kindof led me to one thing, led
(06:39):
me to the DEA. I alwayswanted to do it just a little more
than I was doing at that time. How So, when you decided to
go, you know, get youhad, you had the well, you
got the opportunity to become a DEAagent. When you thought about that,
(07:00):
and I know, being a policeofficer is hard, but did you think
that this was going to be thisthis career move really was going to be
harder. Yes, But what madeit so easier for me and that when
I was in academy in Quantico,the first week they give out assignments and
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luckily, blessed fortune that however youwant to put it, I got the
opportunity to come back to Memphis,the place that I already knew. And
by sending me back to Memphis aftergraduation from a category, this don't normally
happen. Most agents go to toNew York, Miami, and Houston.
They don't normally happen. But fortunately, fortunate for me, it did happen.
(07:46):
And DA became easier for me becauseI got my blessings on the front
end. As I say, andone of the reasons why, I think
is because my mother was sick herewho's here locally? And I flamed to
one of the assignment people that Ihad just went through the voice mother had
cancer, and they said, that'sall you need to say, sir,
(08:09):
we will send you back to Memphis. You don't need to be away from
all this. And it was alltrue. If you read in the book,
you will see it's true. SoI was fortunate enough to come back
to Memphis and hit the ground running. Wow, I'm looking at this.
This is really interesting. I'm lookingat your book, mister Collins, and
(08:31):
his book, y'all, is calledGlad Dea Ators The Pursuit of Craig Petty's
from Memphis to Acapolco. We're goingto talk about that, but this is
really interesting reading this, and itsays during Colin's time with the DEA,
his goal was to read Memphis ofas many drug organizations as possible. Colin's
(08:54):
face resentment and betrayal from people heshould have been a to trust, both
personally and professionally. Interesting talk about. And I'm thinking, Okay, you
want to stop resentment and betrayal,yes, ma'am. So in law enforcement
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you have a lot of egos.Yes, and you have the politics.
You have the politics too. Yes, everyone think we work together, but
we don't always work together. Weshould, but we don't. You have
a lot of egos and you havea lot of jealousies sometimes when and particularly
in narcotics work, which I wasdoing, if you have other people want
to be the one, They wantto be the man, they want to
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stay. Look what I did,some of these cases with large money sees,
just large rests, large significant investigationsthat lead to some of the real
big Jesus or drugs and dope agentsofficers. I want to be the one
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that get the credit for that.So because of stuff like that, you
have fights. You may have afight that I mean this is not like
physical fights, but these are politicalfights. In the agencies, you may
have a situation. The DEA hasthe lead federal law enforcement, which only
responsibility is entitled twenty one years seeis enforcing drug laws, money lunder laws.
(10:26):
And it ain't got to do withdrugs. We don't have no other
responsibilities other than that. We don'tinvestigate. We don't do what the FBI
do. They kind of do everything. They do drugs, they do money.
Lundon they do, bank robbery,kidnapped in any state, they do
all that. But DA is justfocused on drugs and drug trafficking and money
London and stuff like that. Sobecause of stuff like that, you may
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have a conflict between one of thelocal agencies or one of the federal agencies,
and that that arises quite a bit, and it's up to management to
work these things out. And sometimes on the lower level you have the
inter conflict between local officers, personalities, disagreement on cases of informants over sea.
(11:13):
I's overseas. You got all thatto be going on, and you
have to deal with that. Andsince sometimes in the book you will see
why I put a betrayal in there. There's a chapter in there, Yeah,
and that I was accused. Justbelieve this or not. I'm trying
to catch this bag guy Petties.I was accused of being his person that
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was respiring him information. Wow.Yes, yes, off, other agents
accused me of that. Had noreason to do that other than other than
you can put that you can feelin the blank, other than what I
feel in the blank. Yeah,yeah, other than being black, That's
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what I think it was. Ohyeah, Yeah, there was no way
for me to be as as straightas I was, I had to have
some kind of corruption going on,because how could I have something like this
going on and they didn't. Mmhmm, yes, So I want to
get to well, before I getto that, let me let me go
(12:16):
back. Why why did you decideto write this book on yourself? Your
your experience and being in law enforcementand DA. A lot of it had
to do with my reckoning. Thiswas a significant investigation. Normally these kind
of cases, you get promoted,you get rewarded, you get elevated.
(12:37):
But it didn't happen for me.Uh And if I had If that had
happen to me, maybe I wouldn'twrote this book. Maybe if I would
have been simping some office with suitand tie on in DC or something like
that, probably I probably want towrote this book. But because of that,
I want to make sure I tellthis story because the story is being
told on YouTube and all the otherchannels about this guy, and a lot
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of people that had nothing to dowith this are taking credit for it.
If you go on YouTube now andthen query Craig Peti, you will see
all these hits about this guy,and a lot of it has got to
do with this BMF thing. Who'sthe biggest and Craig bigger than there.
Craig is biggest. Craigs. It'sno way for a black guy. It's
nobody bigger U forse uh Uh.Trucks like cocaine that normally comes from South
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America comes through Mexico. And he'ssitting down there with the with the uh
director director of the boarder directors.He's right there with the board of directors
of drug crafting. He's sitting onthe board. Uh. So you tell
me who would be bigger than anybodyelse. He's in Mexico. He's from
Memphis, but he's sitting in Mexicoown the board of directors with drug trafficks
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some of the names you will seein the book. Uh, he's sitting
on the board with and they justmoving drugs, you know, through cell
phones with they used to cell phones. Uh. It's all explained in the
books. You really get to readthe book and you really see how this
story is kind of transcrib So onceyou you are you're working as the dee
(14:09):
A agent, mister Collins, Sodid they assign you to this Craig Petty
pettit's case or did you ask forit? How did that come about?
But dea work. Normally you initiatestuff on your own. Everybody don't initiate
stuff. But I was always beingthe local guy. I was always looking
(14:33):
for the biggest and the baddest aroundhere because I grew up here and police
officers tell me stuff and relatives wouldtell me information. I was always getting
information. A matter of fact,at one point I was like the intail
guy with so much coming in.If people call you and tell you,
man, you need to take alook at this guy. You take a
look at this guy. And throughthat there was as happened by one of
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the police officers or organized crimes sparking. Organized crime ned to seize you.
Back in I think two thousand andone, April wanted the officers leave.
His name is Pat Fox, infact, that is his name was one
of the ones that was involved inthis case. And I saw the case
and it came across my desk andthey was talking about how big he was,
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and I initiate the case because locallyyou can only do so much.
Federally, on our level, wecan do a lot. We have the
jurisdiction, to go outside this country, go across state lines, to do
a lot even on Title threes,which is you know, to listen to
cell phones. We have a greatability to get a lot of intel what
(15:41):
DEA does, and we do agood job at that majority of the time.
I would put it like that,even though you do the best you
can, drugs still have a wayof getting into this country to so many
ways. Tunnels, number one,track, the traders, planes, folks
in just so many ways. Man, It's just it's just really it's a
hard job to do to actually stopit, stop the drugs from coming in.
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You think about the amount of moneythey making, the amount of money
and that I'm not talking about theamount of money making here, I'm talking
about poor people in South America whothey'll only go is to make some money.
We don't make. You know,a lot of countries they have you
have uh rich, yeah poor,it's no middle class, no middle class
(16:27):
like it is in the US.You have middle class, you are poor.
You got rich. But most ofthose countries got two classes. And
in order for them to make somemoney, they may these are some of
the things they get involved in.Even when they get arrested. They rather
spend their time in one of thesejails in America where you get fed.
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Uh. It's not a it's arisk, but risk. They're not gonna
get tortured here. They're gonna gettaken care of until they do their time,
till they go back, and it'sstill gonna come back trying to do
something else. M hm. So, mister Collins, Craig Petty's he was,
as you say in your book,he people feared him in Memphis.
(17:14):
He was the big drug dealer andhe was hard too. It was hard
to get him. I'm trying tofigure that out because are you saying he
didn't stay in Memphis a lot.He was in Mexico a lot, But
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but he was. It was hardto get him and to get his folks
in Memphis. Are you saying that. What I'm saying is that once we
got close to him, he hadagreement with one of the cartail leaders that
if you ever get tight, everget close to catching him, he has
a home in Mexico. Come downhere in Mexico. We'll take care of
you. We'll make sure you okay. Because he has a connection to inner
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city black drug dealer all over thiscountry. One black guy connect one black
guy. He could connect with anydrug dealers across the country. He could,
wow because you got to remember itif him by him being black,
Uh, he knows other people that'suh black, particularly in the Memphis some
of his he had hit men.Uh if you if you if you don't,
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if you owe this group money,if you owe the organization money,
and you sent a Mexican at didyou there, They're they'll see him spotting
right off. I mean really,but if you sent a black guy,
they don't may not knowing, buthe's black. He can get close to
you in order for them to takerevenge upon you. But they needed somebody
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like him to do uh, tocollect debt and to uh take care of
some of the people that they havebeen cooperating and so so so Petties really
worked for the cartel. He wason that board and he was like you
said he was. He was onthe boat, he was on the bull
wow, telling you wow, andhad hit me in had hit me and
(19:07):
had and I'm sure a lot ofhitts we were made here in Memphis,
correct of course, yes, wow, of course, And no telling how
many we didn't solve because of thiscase, we was able to solve a
lot of unsolved homicides. Some ofthem were cases with the Mephipolice department with
the kind of chef's department. Evenwith this old kind of cheff office and
(19:30):
all the branch, we was ableto solve cases because the cooperations of some
of these members of this organization.So the thing with Federal is that they
have a a what they call afive K one which is in order to
down with departure. And then thecriminals know about this. I'm not telling
them something they don't know. Whydo ten when you can do a friend?
(19:55):
Why do ten when you can doa friend? Why I need to
go do all this time? AllI need to do is tell these folks
with it's just the truth. Wedon't take nothing but the truth. Just
tell it like it is, likewhatever happened, Maybe I may do five
years, I may not do that. He is. So those are some
of the pressions that they have toface once they get in prison, being
(20:15):
locked up. So, yeah,nobody want to be in jail for the
rest of their lives. Wow.Or thirty years of their life, yeah,
or twenty years of your life.That's your life. Yeah, so
so Petties. Now he's in jailman life sentences. He got a life
sentence. No, nine life sentences. Oh excuse me, correct me,
(20:36):
it's the college nine life sentences.Yes, and most of it, most
of it wasn't involved that the drugswas one of the things, but it
was the murders and the homicide thathe that he had committed. Yes.
Wow, Wow, we are talking, y'all. We are talking to former
(20:56):
d e A agent mister Abe Collins. He writes his book The Glad de
Atos, The Pursuit of Craig Petties. If you have a question or two,
this is interesting wow for mister Collins. We invite you to call now
eight three three five three five ninethree four two eight three three five three
(21:23):
five nine three four two will getyou in to us. You're listening to
the Bev Johnson Show on Double DA. You're listening to the Heart and Soul
(21:55):
of Memphis. The Bev Johnson Showexclusively on w DIA. Ad words in
your home election or Google home.She's got Memphis talking. It's the Bev
Johnson Show on the station that's stillgood Will and Good Times AM ten seven
(22:18):
E w D I a A allright, all right, here we go,
Here we go. You're listening tothe BEV Johnson Show. Here's Bev
(22:49):
Johnson and this afternoon, we aretalking with mister Abe Collins, a former
d e A Agent, and hissuit of Craig Patty's from Memphis to Acopoco
the Glad d e E Toys.That's the title of his book. Before
mister Collins, we go to ourphone lines. And I love this,
(23:11):
y'all, the first chapter. Ilove this because it's my hero too.
It and and this is what misterCollins writes. It was not until I
saw Richard Rowntree star as John Shaftthat the idea of being a police officer
was marinated in my curious head.Unlike the other shows, Shaft looked like
(23:33):
me. He was black, hewas big, he was back, can
you dig it? I had neverseen anywhere on TV where a black man
had the authority to do whatever hewanted, much less a man like John
Shaft. He was my modern daySuperman, but without the Cape. I
(23:53):
love that, mister Collins man,that was my hero too, my boyfriend,
I love some John. Yeah,And you know what, And I
was just talking to my best friend. Last night, mister Collins, I
said, I had the opportunity tointerview Richard Roundtree on my show, and
(24:14):
I think he was all of ourheroes. Yes it was, Yes,
that's my mind. Hey, heybad brother, Yes, yes, I
mean that motivated me to go inlaw for a law enforcement Yeah, yes
it did. Good. Good.We're going to our phone lines, mister
Collins to talk to some of ourlisteners. Lady pnimber one, Hey,
(24:37):
how y'all doing today? Doing fine? Well? Tell your guests Bell very
smart and telling the man Bell,what's his name? Mister Collins, Abe
Collins, mister you know you knowwhat when I was listening, I said,
my god, you know you yougot to be a strong minded personal,
a strong person, you know,to even think about you know what
(25:00):
I mean? He was thinking aboutwriting a story on some big people like
this, you know what I mean. I want to ask you, how
long did it take you to writethis book? It took from twenty sixteen.
I retired in like twenty fourteen,and there was interesting in doing a
movie on this story way before Iwrote the book, and once it kind
of fizzled out, it hadn't fizzledtold it out it. Actually it's still
(25:22):
percolating, although we need some investors. So quite frankly, twenty sixteen up
until twenty twenty three, that's whatit took me. Okay, Well,
let me ask you, Ques.I know it's got to be true.
Did you have to chute get permissionfrom him, the guy himself, because
he's still living right, yeah,but he's in jail, he's in prison
(25:45):
later. But the one time Iwas wanted, That's why I was asking
him. I don't know, yousay him in this book, right right?
Did you have to you know,pay him or get it, you
know, ask him for me?Okay, I was wanted because I know,
well they you know, when youwrite a song. Bab's saying,
like, when you write a song, you can't just write a song,
you know, like Marmy Gay songswithout asking song about. Yeah. Right,
(26:08):
So I'm thinking about this book becauseI think that's a great thing he
does, because a lot of peoplewant to hear it. Prob people want
to know a lot. You gotso many people like lady knows you want
to hear about stuff like that.Let me ask you another qu Okay,
so are you still in the fieldof what you used to do. Have
you retired? I retired in twentyfourteen from the DA Drugg But what you
need to know, what you needto know is once you go to prison,
(26:30):
you lose a lot of your rightsand you're not making any money off.
He's actually limited to making anything offof his life for me because of
what they did. Wow, okay, okay, so bad thinks permitted?
Okay, what about share? Youknow bad? No one that Lorenzen rights
(26:52):
think about her? You know whatI mean? I think they say she's
trying to write, but so shewon't be able to get any of the
money. Because I was one aboutthat. That's the state charge. Yeah,
he's so smart, Yeah, hesaid, Lady p. That's a
state charge with Share, but christfederal. Yes, okay, I was
wondering he think about being a justreturning here at missiletoa city that's problem here,
(27:18):
come here and be our sorry,because we need someone smart like you,
because I mean you sound so smarteand and and and and your mintary.
I mean, you know what I'msaying you you couldn't follow a better
person rich a round three. Imean, because you know he was he
was just he was just reacts tome and uh, and he was small
though, and he and he wasmad and he stood up and in his
movie he played there it seemed likethat was himself. And you know what
(27:41):
I mean, Yeah, he notall he played. He was like he
was. That was he was actingout. That's how he was in first
And that's what I believe there,Bab, you don't manage. Let me
be so kind, Bill, Pleasebe so kind for me. Let me
do this birthday thing right quick.And Bab, I don't know if you
gonna get your squirrel on the nightthe rock and chair with with staying Bill,
I just had to ask you,I know, I just got answer
that. I don't know if you'recoming down and I want know, But
(28:03):
anyway, let me saying happy birthdayon today, Sthia Smith over there,
y'all at they listen to the showanyway over there at the mail post office
over there post office on every president, you guys don't forget to get her
happy birthday and they her happy today. Thanks for thanking my fall nicely.
He's talking to you a guess,say you guess maybe you're thinking about being
out da Hi, George, areyou doing bell? I'm doing well today,
(28:30):
George yourself, I am gonna missmy rock and chair catfish today.
But they say my character was gonnadrive me over there tomorrow. But however,
I'm excited about your brother writing thatbook. And I just about got
the nerve to right mind. ButI go all the way back bell you
(28:52):
know you and I we go allthe way back to you know, Jackson,
Mississippi, you know when you wouldget it your almost you were learning
how to do the dog old thing. And we go all the way back
to Bob Rally, the Manhattan's,and I even go back personally myself to
Areatha Franklin's first husband had a beefwhat I were man in Memphis who was
(29:17):
my boss, Arthur Brown, whomI can't say too much about. Yeah,
So George, you need to startwriting on your book. You do
you have a question for mister Collins. My question to a mister Collins is
how did you get the nerve totell it and not be afraid of something
happening like an accident? And Ilistened, Thank you, George, mister
(29:40):
Collins. I mean people ask methat, but frankly, at this point
in my life, okay, see, I like to live like anyone.
But I'm not worried about that though, I'll be honest with you, I
don't have to have the nerves.The nerves were just to go in to
law enforcement and to put your lifeon the line sometimes, like a lot
(30:03):
of us do wear in the blueor wearing whatever uniform and kicking in the
doors. Those things happening. ButI think rod life is safer than being
a clerk at seven eleven though wehave frankly with unswitching. Yeah, so
you had a good life. Backto our phone lines to talk with you,
wd IA, Hi caller, Goodafternoon, beb. How are you
(30:25):
good afternoon? How are you sharing? Thank you? You recognize my voice?
Yea. I just have two quickquestions for your guests in one comment.
My first my comment hearing him speakabout the book and all is really
have me interested in reading it?I was wondering will it be in the
Kendles version? R? Is itjust hard copy? It's one question,
(30:45):
well, actually I got three.Second question is how was Patties brought to
the Federals? What made them lookat him? What did he do for
them to investigate him? And mylast question is does he have any family
members? Still here in Memphis.I'm gonna hang up in and I will
see you at the Sister Strut onSaturday. Sounds good sharing, Thank you
sharing? Well, yes it does. Yes, he does to that family
(31:07):
here. He was deported, kickedout of the country of Mexico. He
was not a Mexican American system.A lot of times uh US has an
extradition or ordered with agreement with countrieslike Mexico, and they actually died a
lot of drug traffics from Mexico tothe US. And generally that's only how
they really get prosecuted by coming tothe US. The one thing that they're
(31:30):
afraid of, George Dillis, I'mtalking about the big ones is getting extradieted
to the US. They don't havethe ability to get out of the system
once they country kick them out,and their country's users the extradition, you
know, in a good way.A lot of times they are able to
do that. They get rid oftheir problem and send them to the US
and they generally go to jail andhere in the country. But uh,
(31:52):
whatever your other question were, thenhe asks about how can you get your
book? You can get my book. I'm doing book signing today at five
to seven at Crumpy's High Wings onHolland. You can get a book there,
signed copy. You can get iton Amazon Amazon go to you can
get it off there. You canget it tomorrow and be at the Cigar
(32:13):
Bar Havana Mixed downtown from like oneto four. Oh good, so you
can get it there. You canget it for me. A lot of
people that I know in mythhis you'reable to get it from. But I
would just like to say that thatthere was many people that helped out on
this case. Like I mentioned Thurmanand Richardson My Buddy, My Buddy for
Life. He was one of theMPD guys that really played the significant parts.
(32:35):
There's other guys too. You wouldsee them in the book. The
book is very interesting. And thenthis book is doing quite well. I
think it's as everyone says, it'sa need to read book. You really
would see a lot of stuff thatgoes on in law enforcement and some of
the conflicts and some of the prosecutiondecisions that made that people not really aware
of how someone get prosecuting somebody else. Don't You really need to read the
(33:00):
book and you will really learned fromit. Is just a get learning thing
to read and appreciate you Colling,Well, thank you. We are talking
with mister Abe Collins, former DEAagent, a former Memphis police officer.
Here. His book is called Gladd e A Eightors. I like that
(33:21):
Gladiators the Pursuit of Craig Petty's fromMemphis to Acapoco. And we're come back
and finish our conversation. But I'mglad. George, you mentioned the rocking
Chair because the Rocking Chair is servingup lunch today. You know, the
rocking chair. We rock with entertainmentand we rock with the best Southern soul
(33:42):
food around. The Rocking Chair locatedat fifteen forty two Elvis Presley. They're
serving lunch until five o'clock this evening. Go man, get your dinner.
Yeah, from eleven to five Wednesdaythrough Sunday. Now. On today's menu,
joyege they have catfish baked or fried, chicken fried or smothered, pork
(34:06):
shops, turkey necks, buffalo fish, yams, greens, macaroni and cheese,
cabbage, green beans, great Northernbeans, spaghetti, black app peas,
corn bread. They have it alland your chitlins if you like chitlins.
Miss Ann's Chitlins is definitely there,so if you're hungry, you can
(34:27):
dine in or take out. Callthem right now. They'll have your plate
ready for you. Nine zero onefour two five five two six four nine
zero one four two five five twosix four Dine in or take out at
the Rocking Chair where they rock withthe best entertainment. And speaking of entertainment,
(34:51):
tonight it's karaoke night. Yeah,the bell ringer will be there,
but it's karaoke night at the RockingChair. They start at six o'clock.
This doors open, so you haven'ttook five o'clock go get you something to
eat. You had the rocking cheer, so head on. Ye the Rocking
Chair over there in South Memphis fifteenforty two, Elvis Presley, they rock
(35:13):
with the best Southern soul food around. When you go there, tell them
y'all. Bev Johnson sent you tothe Rocking Chair. Fifteen forty two,
Elvis Presley. It's your girlfriend,Beb Johnson. It's the Bev Johnson Show
(35:34):
on wd IA, Memphis. Yes, you're listening to the Bev Johnson Show.
(36:12):
Here's Bev Johns and we're going toour phone line to get these last
calls in Hirineda, Hello, beverLi, this is Rinita hang out doing
doing well? Rineda, how areyou? I am good? Hello a
Bev. I know this man verywell. Matter fay. We went to
school together, class from White Havennineteen seventy six. Oh wow, you're
(36:36):
doing? Are you doing? RanedaDie? How you doing? I am
doing? Matter of fact, it'sNita calling, So I know that man.
Man and Bell and Abe. Ilaughed so hard because I listened to
WDA twenty four twenty four. WhenI heard his name, I said,
this can't be name Collins, Iknow, and surely it was. So
I laughed at Lady T when hesaid, aren't you scared after this man
(37:00):
Petty go come back and get you? And I thought, no, he
ain't scared because first of all,he's a big guy, you know.
Second of all, he carries agoo hood and know how to use it.
So I just got so chickled.But Abe, I can say this
about you. Ever since i've knownyou, beb, and I've known him
a very long time. He's alwaysbeen a go getter. I know him
(37:22):
when he was just a regular policeofficer, sir, and through his career.
He's never been afraid to take achance and do what he had to
do. And he's never been afraidto break down, you know, bring
down a criminal. So that's notreally in his da. And he's a
good guy. He's a good man. So I had to say that about
you, Abe, and uh,I don't normally call leenen, but when
(37:45):
I heard you talk, I said, that is him, you know,
so Uh, congratulation Abe, Uh, you know, do what you got
to do. Your book. Iwill be many a copy, I sure
will. We will because of myon had told me that you know,
you had written a book, andI thought, wow, okay, okay,
(38:06):
yes we need I read a book. And I appreciate you, love
you and uh the family a man. Tell Barry what's up? And I
said, thank you very much andkeep listening and he and mister Collins is
going to tell where he's going tobe doing his book signing. Okay,
I do that. Okay, y'alltake care of you too, Thank you,
we need bye by common man.Hey, Hey, how you doing?
(38:29):
Bill? Doing well? Common man? In you all right? And
hello to you. Guess I didn'tremember his name, mister Collins. Mister
Collins Okay, I got I gota couple of questions for your curiosity about
that that particular case. Okay,how long did the case? Did the
investigation go on before you all moveforward and ask for an indictment? Uh?
(38:50):
The indictment happened that we started atleast this inniche education in October twenty
October two thousand and one. Weindicted him in like December of two thousand
and two. But he's had afugitive one because he had fled the country.
But when you flee the country,you do what they call provisional warrants.
Since he's outside the country, youknow that. And it takes a
(39:13):
while to actually bring people back fromother countries because other countries ain't always trying
to send them back, particularly whenthey're making a lot of money for some
of the people, correct people thatare there. So that's really what happened,
right, okay. And the otherquestion is now, in this investigation,
it came to light that a lotof stuff was being shipped through Federal
(39:34):
Express. Were you all aware abit and if so, did you all
just allow it to continue to moveon? To be the case, I
was not aware of anything being shippedthrough fed Express. I may have heard
about that. Fed Express is apackage delivering company and you can't ship stuff
to FedEx. There have been seizes, a lot of seizes, but I
(39:54):
don't not aware of big seizes throughFedEx. So in this case, we
don't have any seasy fit Express Express. Okay, yeah, I know that
came out I think in the trialor something like that. I was just
curious about that. I was wonderinghow did they go on like that?
And so those are my questions though. All right, thank you comming man.
All right, bye bye, Hicaptain, all right, look daily,
(40:19):
both of you, but listen,uh. I don't know it's just
the column that worked with it thesouth end or not. But I worked
body tied a lot of guys backin the seventies seventy four we just called.
I wrote several books. I haven'tissued them out because I'm not bold
at you. So I do thankyou for putting your book out there and
everything, because I wrote one calledcorruption within the Department because as a young
(40:44):
cadet officer shot well several of guys. I wouldn't say everything firsthand, only
different. I had a thirty fivemillionity camera like Willa's I was, we
call him. He don't want touse his name, I said, but
I didn't dange a lot of people, and I was concerting with you on
there. I heard somebody ask thatearlier, and I was saying, I
(41:06):
just tuned in a little late.And when I heard names, I don't
know, Abe college, Abe college, Well, captain, let me tell
you. He's going to tell you, I couldn't say. I worked midnight
eight and one, but then hthat was a southeen. I worked every
appreciting but the North. But Iremember back in the early days in seventy
eight when went on striking, whatnow a lot of guys come in.
He was, you didn't come ineighty one eighty one, captain, that's
(41:31):
when he came out. Okay,he was in a class of forty four
or something up and then class wearing. Yeah, I started wearing the county
uniform. So anyway, I wassaying, so many people that I listed
in my books. I wrote threeof them, and the one I wrote
back in nineteen eighty three, listand everything I do. Tell everybody beauty
(41:51):
shop, everybody, write down yourjournal, write down your daily activity,
sort of like Star Trek you puta star date on it, so I
said, please do that because youdon't may have number one BIS, you
might have a movie in the making. Yes, he does what he's doing
all right now he won't thank you, Captain you very much, sir,
(42:12):
bye bye and unforgetful tell you,mister Collins. I just want to ask
a question. Thank you for yourservice to this country dealing with this ever
divid or drugs that we have comingin here now and back in the tath.
The question I want to ask you, can you tell me whatever happened
to the President of Panama during thetime when he was telling drug no rega
(42:35):
is he Do you have any informationon that, because I haven't heard anything
since the day they arrested him andeverything and tried out him and everything.
I was just wondering because you giveme some information on it. Well,
I know DA did arrested him inback in nineteen and I'm gonna say ninety
ninety one, and he was withthe trial in Miami and Miami had the
jewistiction on that South Florida and hedid due time, and I do know
(42:58):
he's he was released at some point. I don't really know it was Noriega
out of out of that country,Uh, South America. I think it
was Panama, but that's about all. I know. You probably gonna do
some research on the internet and findout. Wow, I didn't even know
that. You mean he was released? Yes, yeah, I mean,
(43:19):
my god, Okay, thank you. I just know that's one of the
dangerous jobs in the world because contailsrunning things. Now, thank you back,
they've been running things. Cartail isstill running them out. Still got
a board of directed. This lastquestion I had for you, mister Collins,
that when you you said from Memphisto Acapolco, you got petties in
(43:44):
Acapolco bringing him back. What wasthe conversation like when he was kicked out
of we God had him brought backto Houston, Texas, which was the
first what they called a port ofentry, which normally you have to when
you deport people. You bring himto the first jurisdiction, which is Houston,
Texas. And I always did meethim. The group of the guys
(44:06):
that I was with, we methim. He was a subdued I'm gonna
put it like this, here's aguy been free all his life, and
he probably figured he did figure hewasn't gonna ever see daylight again. He
was very subdued, and you kindof feel sorry for people like that,
I believe it or not. Soin the book you would see the feelings
that we had, okay, andhis words was you know, you try
(44:27):
to do introduction and tell him whathe says. Before I could finish,
I know who you are. Well, I know who he was, but
he actually knew who I was.It was just it was interesting. Wow.
But I can't wait to read itbecause I was just just skimming through
there and looking at something. Ican't wait to read it. Mister Collins,
tell our listeners where you're having yourbook signing? Okay, today we
(44:51):
having one at Crump that's my friend, Donald Crump over there on Highland.
That's my buddy too, Donald Trumpon Holland five to seven. Come get
your book signed. If you alreadybought a book, you still come get
your book signed. If you hadn'tabout one, come get it tomorrow from
twelve to four one to four atHavana Mixed Cigar Bar on Peabody Place,
downtown memphisis for the downtown crowd.You can come down into. I just
(45:15):
know how it is so from one, one to four or twelve to four.
However, we get down there andget started. Uh but that But
what's is interesting in about this ifyou an investor, interesting and helping us
produce the movie locally, there's alot of people that share locally. Very
interesting in doing a movie on thisstory. This story is deserving of a
(45:36):
movie with all the people that's involved, with all the local people like I
mentioned Thurman, and I mentioned someof the prosecutors here locally and some of
their law enforcement from the share thekind of sheriff department to the MPD,
all of those guys. This storyis a law enforcement story. We try
to make it a drug story,but it's a law enforcement story. That's
what I want to put. Ifyou thinking about I want to invest in
(45:57):
something like this, this would bea good time to come to up tomorrow,
Elevana Mix. Very good time.We're gonna app selling books and just
you know, meeting each other.Sounds good. Thank you mister Abe Collins
for sharing your story with us.His book, y'all, is called Glad
d e a Ators Glad Diators ThePursuit of Craig Petties from Memphis to Acapolco.
(46:22):
He will be doing his book signingnow there Tell tell Crumpy. I
said, hey, what's up though, what's up? What's up? What's
up? Hey, mister Abe Collins. Thank you, mister Collins, Thank
you callers, Thank you listeners forjoining us this day on the BEV Johnson
Show. We do, we reallydo appreciate you. So until tomorrow,
(46:46):
please be safe, keep a coolhead, y'all, don't let anyone steal
your joy. Until tomorrow, I'mBev Johnson, and y'all keep the faith.
The views and opinions discussed on TheBEB Johnson Show are that of the
hosts and callers, and not thoseof the staff and sponsors of w d IA.
Still your good Will and good TimeStation ten seventy w d I A listen
on the free iHeartRadio app for allyour music radio and podcasts. Free Never
Sound is so good with a hardand soul of Memphis. Ten seventy w
d I A Memphis Show Up Time, Memphis talking and all away, Help
(00:31):
you go, you go so gettingready in time shoot show. Let's go
bet justin we you make gord Byhere wrog listen to want to say you
(00:54):
know where's time of the Belt ofFish shout. Let's go Good afternoon and
(01:49):
welcome back to the second half ofthe BEV Johnson Show. Here at w
d I A hope you're doing welltoday. Put your ears on as we
share some information with you this day. Very special guest in the studio.
He is an author. He isa retired de EA Special Agent, private
(02:12):
investigator, Private investigated license and Iwant to ask them all that good stuff.
His name is mister Abe Collins.His book is called glad deea Tours.
I love that the Pursuit of CraigPettis. Y'all remember that name to
talk about that from Memphis to Acapolco. And let me say good afternoon and
(02:38):
welcome to the first time to theBEV Johnson Show and do w deia.
Good afternoon to you, mister Collins. How are you. I'm well,
good afternoon of you, and thankyou for inviting me. You are so
welcome. So first of all,as always, as I like to tell
our listeners, tell us a littlebit about Abe Collins. Well, I
(03:05):
grew up here in Enphis, wentto high school here, attended one of
the local schools, White Heaven HighSchool, graduated in nineteen seventy six,
left here, went to the TennesseeState University, which is a rival to
(03:28):
to Miss Jackson. Alma mar here. I believe you, are you absolutely
right the I love Jackson State University. Yes, ma'am, Yeah, yes,
ma'am. Played football up at TennesseeState, did you I did?
I most certainly did. I playeddefens back there from Mike nineteen seventy six
to I left and graduated in nineteeneighty one. And during my time there,
(03:53):
I majored in criminal justice, whichI kind of realized years ago as
you read this book, we wouldrealize why I chose that profession. A
major in criminal justice at Tennessee State. I had a good time there,
and I must say those were thehardest days of my life. My life
hadn't been that hard since what man, what you saying? It was hard?
(04:17):
Football was hard? Come on,mister Collins, now, yes,
ma'am, Yes, ma'am. Youasked it a tiger. We got this
saying it's so hard to be aTiger. Yeah, hard, so hard
to be a Tiger. Hey,that's in my blood. Lift, Yes,
ma'am, it was. That's whywe used to take here Jackson State
every year. Oh yeah, okay, See he wants to rub it in.
(04:40):
See y'all, he wants to rubit in about Jackson State. Okay,
yes, ma'am, we did.Okay, yes, ma'am, we
did. Yeah, we did.Get out a doubt. So. So
after graduating from Tennessee State, cameback home to Memphis. Yes, ma'am,
I sure did. And you decidedto pursue that career in criminal justice.
(05:08):
I most certainly did. I joinedthe Memphis Police Department. Okay,
how long were you on the MemphisPolice Department. I was in the academy,
started in like October nineteen eighty one, and graduated in the spring of
eighty two. And I was usedto work in the South Preast sint midnight
shift. From then I was selectedor earned a spot on the police department
(05:31):
taching unit. And at the timethey didn't have that many officers like me
looked like me on attact unit.I got on there like eighty eight.
One of my best friends, AdieJones is now I believe it's clerk for
the one of the courts we waspartnered. Yeah. Yeah, it used
to be a county commissioners yeah,ed and I was friends and we spent
(05:55):
the time on there until you know, during that time, I was always
trying to get in federal law enforcement, and around nineteen eighty one I got
selected for the drug enforcement and Iwent to the Academy DA Academy in Cornico,
Virginia and graduating in like mayl nineteeneighty one. So during that time,
(06:15):
mister Collins uh working for the MemphisPolice Department, and you saw a
lot of criminal activity going on,didn't you. I saw a lot.
I mean I've done a lot,and it's a lot of it is in
the book. Yeah, yeah.A lot of my experiences on the police
department was in the book and stillin the book. And I wrote about
that some of those experiences which kindof led me to one thing, led
(06:39):
me to the DEA. I alwayswanted to do it just a little more
than I was doing at that time. How So, when you decided to
go, you know, get youhad, you had the well, you
got the opportunity to become a DEAagent. When you thought about that,
(07:00):
and I know, being a policeofficer is hard, but did you think
that this was going to be thisthis career move really was going to be
harder. Yes, But what madeit so easier for me and that when
I was in academy in Quantico,the first week they give out assignments and
(07:24):
luckily, blessed fortune that however youwant to put it, I got the
opportunity to come back to Memphis,the place that I already knew. And
by sending me back to Memphis aftergraduation from a category, this don't normally
happen. Most agents go to toNew York, Miami, and Houston.
They don't normally happen. But fortunately, fortunate for me, it did happen.
(07:46):
And DA became easier for me becauseI got my blessings on the front
end. As I say, andone of the reasons why, I think
is because my mother was sick herewho's here locally? And I flamed to
one of the assignment people that Ihad just went through the voice mother had
cancer, and they said, that'sall you need to say, sir,
(08:09):
we will send you back to Memphis. You don't need to be away from
all this. And it was alltrue. If you read in the book,
you will see it's true. SoI was fortunate enough to come back
to Memphis and hit the ground running. Wow, I'm looking at this.
This is really interesting. I'm lookingat your book, mister Collins, and
(08:31):
his book, y'all, is calledGlad Dea Ators The Pursuit of Craig Petty's
from Memphis to Acapolco. We're goingto talk about that, but this is
really interesting reading this, and itsays during Colin's time with the DEA,
his goal was to read Memphis ofas many drug organizations as possible. Colin's
(08:54):
face resentment and betrayal from people heshould have been a to trust, both
personally and professionally. Interesting talk about. And I'm thinking, Okay, you
want to stop resentment and betrayal,yes, ma'am. So in law enforcement
(09:16):
you have a lot of egos.Yes, and you have the politics.
You have the politics too. Yes, everyone think we work together, but
we don't always work together. Weshould, but we don't. You have
a lot of egos and you havea lot of jealousies sometimes when and particularly
in narcotics work, which I wasdoing, if you have other people want
to be the one, They wantto be the man, they want to
(09:37):
stay. Look what I did,some of these cases with large money sees,
just large rests, large significant investigationsthat lead to some of the real
big Jesus or drugs and dope agentsofficers. I want to be the one
(09:58):
that get the credit for that.So because of stuff like that, you
have fights. You may have afight that I mean this is not like
physical fights, but these are politicalfights. In the agencies, you may
have a situation. The DEA hasthe lead federal law enforcement, which only
responsibility is entitled twenty one years seeis enforcing drug laws, money lunder laws.
(10:26):
And it ain't got to do withdrugs. We don't have no other
responsibilities other than that. We don'tinvestigate. We don't do what the FBI
do. They kind of do everything. They do drugs, they do money.
Lundon they do, bank robbery,kidnapped in any state, they do
all that. But DA is justfocused on drugs and drug trafficking and money
London and stuff like that. Sobecause of stuff like that, you may
(10:50):
have a conflict between one of thelocal agencies or one of the federal agencies,
and that that arises quite a bit, and it's up to management to
work these things out. And sometimes on the lower level you have the
inter conflict between local officers, personalities, disagreement on cases of informants over sea.
(11:13):
I's overseas. You got all thatto be going on, and you
have to deal with that. Andsince sometimes in the book you will see
why I put a betrayal in there. There's a chapter in there, Yeah,
and that I was accused. Justbelieve this or not. I'm trying
to catch this bag guy Petties.I was accused of being his person that
(11:33):
was respiring him information. Wow.Yes, yes, off, other agents
accused me of that. Had noreason to do that other than other than
you can put that you can feelin the blank, other than what I
feel in the blank. Yeah,yeah, other than being black, That's
(11:54):
what I think it was. Ohyeah, Yeah, there was no way
for me to be as as straightas I was, I had to have
some kind of corruption going on,because how could I have something like this
going on and they didn't. Mmhmm, yes, So I want to
get to well, before I getto that, let me let me go
(12:16):
back. Why why did you decideto write this book on yourself? Your
your experience and being in law enforcementand DA. A lot of it had
to do with my reckoning. Thiswas a significant investigation. Normally these kind
of cases, you get promoted,you get rewarded, you get elevated.
(12:37):
But it didn't happen for me.Uh And if I had If that had
happen to me, maybe I wouldn'twrote this book. Maybe if I would
have been simping some office with suitand tie on in DC or something like
that, probably I probably want towrote this book. But because of that,
I want to make sure I tellthis story because the story is being
told on YouTube and all the otherchannels about this guy, and a lot
(13:01):
of people that had nothing to dowith this are taking credit for it.
If you go on YouTube now andthen query Craig Peti, you will see
all these hits about this guy,and a lot of it has got to
do with this BMF thing. Who'sthe biggest and Craig bigger than there.
Craig is biggest. Craigs. It'sno way for a black guy. It's
nobody bigger U forse uh Uh.Trucks like cocaine that normally comes from South
(13:26):
America comes through Mexico. And he'ssitting down there with the with the uh
director director of the boarder directors.He's right there with the board of directors
of drug crafting. He's sitting onthe board. Uh. So you tell
me who would be bigger than anybodyelse. He's in Mexico. He's from
Memphis, but he's sitting in Mexicoown the board of directors with drug trafficks
(13:48):
some of the names you will seein the book. Uh, he's sitting
on the board with and they justmoving drugs, you know, through cell
phones with they used to cell phones. Uh. It's all explained in the
books. You really get to readthe book and you really see how this
story is kind of transcrib So onceyou you are you're working as the dee
(14:09):
A agent, mister Collins, Sodid they assign you to this Craig Petty
pettit's case or did you ask forit? How did that come about?
But dea work. Normally you initiatestuff on your own. Everybody don't initiate
stuff. But I was always beingthe local guy. I was always looking
(14:33):
for the biggest and the baddest aroundhere because I grew up here and police
officers tell me stuff and relatives wouldtell me information. I was always getting
information. A matter of fact,at one point I was like the intail
guy with so much coming in.If people call you and tell you,
man, you need to take alook at this guy. You take a
look at this guy. And throughthat there was as happened by one of
(14:56):
the police officers or organized crimes sparking. Organized crime ned to seize you.
Back in I think two thousand andone, April wanted the officers leave.
His name is Pat Fox, infact, that is his name was one
of the ones that was involved inthis case. And I saw the case
and it came across my desk andthey was talking about how big he was,
(15:18):
and I initiate the case because locallyyou can only do so much.
Federally, on our level, wecan do a lot. We have the
jurisdiction, to go outside this country, go across state lines, to do
a lot even on Title threes,which is you know, to listen to
cell phones. We have a greatability to get a lot of intel what
(15:41):
DEA does, and we do agood job at that majority of the time.
I would put it like that,even though you do the best you
can, drugs still have a wayof getting into this country to so many
ways. Tunnels, number one,track, the traders, planes, folks
in just so many ways. Man, It's just it's just really it's a
hard job to do to actually stopit, stop the drugs from coming in.
(16:07):
You think about the amount of moneythey making, the amount of money
and that I'm not talking about theamount of money making here, I'm talking
about poor people in South America whothey'll only go is to make some money.
We don't make. You know,a lot of countries they have you
have uh rich, yeah poor,it's no middle class, no middle class
(16:27):
like it is in the US.You have middle class, you are poor.
You got rich. But most ofthose countries got two classes. And
in order for them to make somemoney, they may these are some of
the things they get involved in.Even when they get arrested. They rather
spend their time in one of thesejails in America where you get fed.
(16:48):
Uh. It's not a it's arisk, but risk. They're not gonna
get tortured here. They're gonna gettaken care of until they do their time,
till they go back, and it'sstill gonna come back trying to do
something else. M hm. So, mister Collins, Craig Petty's he was,
as you say in your book,he people feared him in Memphis.
(17:14):
He was the big drug dealer andhe was hard too. It was hard
to get him. I'm trying tofigure that out because are you saying he
didn't stay in Memphis a lot.He was in Mexico a lot, But
(17:36):
but he was. It was hardto get him and to get his folks
in Memphis. Are you saying that. What I'm saying is that once we
got close to him, he hadagreement with one of the cartail leaders that
if you ever get tight, everget close to catching him, he has
a home in Mexico. Come downhere in Mexico. We'll take care of
you. We'll make sure you okay. Because he has a connection to inner
(17:59):
city black drug dealer all over thiscountry. One black guy connect one black
guy. He could connect with anydrug dealers across the country. He could,
wow because you got to remember itif him by him being black,
Uh, he knows other people that'suh black, particularly in the Memphis some
of his he had hit men.Uh if you if you if you don't,
(18:22):
if you owe this group money,if you owe the organization money,
and you sent a Mexican at didyou there, They're they'll see him spotting
right off. I mean really,but if you sent a black guy,
they don't may not knowing, buthe's black. He can get close to
you in order for them to takerevenge upon you. But they needed somebody
(18:42):
like him to do uh, tocollect debt and to uh take care of
some of the people that they havebeen cooperating and so so so Petties really
worked for the cartel. He wason that board and he was like you
said he was. He was onthe boat, he was on the bull
wow, telling you wow, andhad hit me in had hit me and
(19:07):
had and I'm sure a lot ofhitts we were made here in Memphis,
correct of course, yes, wow, of course, And no telling how
many we didn't solve because of thiscase, we was able to solve a
lot of unsolved homicides. Some ofthem were cases with the Mephipolice department with
the kind of chef's department. Evenwith this old kind of cheff office and
(19:30):
all the branch, we was ableto solve cases because the cooperations of some
of these members of this organization.So the thing with Federal is that they
have a a what they call afive K one which is in order to
down with departure. And then thecriminals know about this. I'm not telling
them something they don't know. Whydo ten when you can do a friend?
(19:55):
Why do ten when you can doa friend? Why I need to
go do all this time? AllI need to do is tell these folks
with it's just the truth. Wedon't take nothing but the truth. Just
tell it like it is, likewhatever happened, Maybe I may do five
years, I may not do that. He is. So those are some
of the pressions that they have toface once they get in prison, being
(20:15):
locked up. So, yeah,nobody want to be in jail for the
rest of their lives. Wow.Or thirty years of their life, yeah,
or twenty years of your life.That's your life. Yeah, so
so Petties. Now he's in jailman life sentences. He got a life
sentence. No, nine life sentences. Oh excuse me, correct me,
(20:36):
it's the college nine life sentences.Yes, and most of it, most
of it wasn't involved that the drugswas one of the things, but it
was the murders and the homicide thathe that he had committed. Yes.
Wow, Wow, we are talking, y'all. We are talking to former
(20:56):
d e A agent mister Abe Collins. He writes his book The Glad de
Atos, The Pursuit of Craig Petties. If you have a question or two,
this is interesting wow for mister Collins. We invite you to call now
eight three three five three five ninethree four two eight three three five three
(21:23):
five nine three four two will getyou in to us. You're listening to
the Bev Johnson Show on Double DA. You're listening to the Heart and Soul
(21:55):
of Memphis. The Bev Johnson Showexclusively on w DIA. Ad words in
your home election or Google home.She's got Memphis talking. It's the Bev
Johnson Show on the station that's stillgood Will and Good Times AM ten seven
(22:18):
E w D I a A allright, all right, here we go,
Here we go. You're listening tothe BEV Johnson Show. Here's Bev
(22:49):
Johnson and this afternoon, we aretalking with mister Abe Collins, a former
d e A Agent, and hissuit of Craig Patty's from Memphis to Acopoco
the Glad d e E Toys.That's the title of his book. Before
mister Collins, we go to ourphone lines. And I love this,
(23:11):
y'all, the first chapter. Ilove this because it's my hero too.
It and and this is what misterCollins writes. It was not until I
saw Richard Rowntree star as John Shaftthat the idea of being a police officer
was marinated in my curious head.Unlike the other shows, Shaft looked like
(23:33):
me. He was black, hewas big, he was back, can
you dig it? I had neverseen anywhere on TV where a black man
had the authority to do whatever hewanted, much less a man like John
Shaft. He was my modern daySuperman, but without the Cape. I
(23:53):
love that, mister Collins man,that was my hero too, my boyfriend,
I love some John. Yeah,And you know what, And I
was just talking to my best friend. Last night, mister Collins, I
said, I had the opportunity tointerview Richard Roundtree on my show, and
(24:14):
I think he was all of ourheroes. Yes it was, Yes,
that's my mind. Hey, heybad brother, Yes, yes, I
mean that motivated me to go inlaw for a law enforcement Yeah, yes
it did. Good. Good.We're going to our phone lines, mister
Collins to talk to some of ourlisteners. Lady pnimber one, Hey,
(24:37):
how y'all doing today? Doing fine? Well? Tell your guests Bell very
smart and telling the man Bell,what's his name? Mister Collins, Abe
Collins, mister you know you knowwhat when I was listening, I said,
my god, you know you yougot to be a strong minded personal,
a strong person, you know,to even think about you know what
(25:00):
I mean? He was thinking aboutwriting a story on some big people like
this, you know what I mean. I want to ask you, how
long did it take you to writethis book? It took from twenty sixteen.
I retired in like twenty fourteen,and there was interesting in doing a
movie on this story way before Iwrote the book, and once it kind
of fizzled out, it hadn't fizzledtold it out it. Actually it's still
(25:22):
percolating, although we need some investors. So quite frankly, twenty sixteen up
until twenty twenty three, that's whatit took me. Okay, Well,
let me ask you, Ques.I know it's got to be true.
Did you have to chute get permissionfrom him, the guy himself, because
he's still living right, yeah,but he's in jail, he's in prison
(25:45):
later. But the one time Iwas wanted, That's why I was asking
him. I don't know, yousay him in this book, right right?
Did you have to you know,pay him or get it, you
know, ask him for me?Okay, I was wanted because I know,
well they you know, when youwrite a song. Bab's saying,
like, when you write a song, you can't just write a song,
you know, like Marmy Gay songswithout asking song about. Yeah. Right,
(26:08):
So I'm thinking about this book becauseI think that's a great thing he
does, because a lot of peoplewant to hear it. Prob people want
to know a lot. You gotso many people like lady knows you want
to hear about stuff like that.Let me ask you another qu Okay,
so are you still in the fieldof what you used to do. Have
you retired? I retired in twentyfourteen from the DA Drugg But what you
need to know, what you needto know is once you go to prison,
(26:30):
you lose a lot of your rightsand you're not making any money off.
He's actually limited to making anything offof his life for me because of
what they did. Wow, okay, okay, so bad thinks permitted?
Okay, what about share? Youknow bad? No one that Lorenzen rights
(26:52):
think about her? You know whatI mean? I think they say she's
trying to write, but so shewon't be able to get any of the
money. Because I was one aboutthat. That's the state charge. Yeah,
he's so smart, Yeah, hesaid, Lady p. That's a
state charge with Share, but christfederal. Yes, okay, I was
wondering he think about being a justreturning here at missiletoa city that's problem here,
(27:18):
come here and be our sorry,because we need someone smart like you,
because I mean you sound so smarteand and and and and your mintary.
I mean, you know what I'msaying you you couldn't follow a better
person rich a round three. Imean, because you know he was he
was just he was just reacts tome and uh, and he was small
though, and he and he wasmad and he stood up and in his
movie he played there it seemed likethat was himself. And you know what
(27:41):
I mean, Yeah, he notall he played. He was like he
was. That was he was actingout. That's how he was in first
And that's what I believe there,Bab, you don't manage. Let me
be so kind, Bill, Pleasebe so kind for me. Let me
do this birthday thing right quick.And Bab, I don't know if you
gonna get your squirrel on the nightthe rock and chair with with staying Bill,
I just had to ask you,I know, I just got answer
that. I don't know if you'recoming down and I want know, But
(28:03):
anyway, let me saying happy birthdayon today, Sthia Smith over there,
y'all at they listen to the showanyway over there at the mail post office
over there post office on every president, you guys don't forget to get her
happy birthday and they her happy today. Thanks for thanking my fall nicely.
He's talking to you a guess,say you guess maybe you're thinking about being
out da Hi, George, areyou doing bell? I'm doing well today,
(28:30):
George yourself, I am gonna missmy rock and chair catfish today.
But they say my character was gonnadrive me over there tomorrow. But however,
I'm excited about your brother writing thatbook. And I just about got
the nerve to right mind. ButI go all the way back bell you
(28:52):
know you and I we go allthe way back to you know, Jackson,
Mississippi, you know when you wouldget it your almost you were learning
how to do the dog old thing. And we go all the way back
to Bob Rally, the Manhattan's,and I even go back personally myself to
Areatha Franklin's first husband had a beefwhat I were man in Memphis who was
(29:17):
my boss, Arthur Brown, whomI can't say too much about. Yeah,
So George, you need to startwriting on your book. You do
you have a question for mister Collins. My question to a mister Collins is
how did you get the nerve totell it and not be afraid of something
happening like an accident? And Ilistened, Thank you, George, mister
(29:40):
Collins. I mean people ask methat, but frankly, at this point
in my life, okay, see, I like to live like anyone.
But I'm not worried about that though, I'll be honest with you, I
don't have to have the nerves.The nerves were just to go in to
law enforcement and to put your lifeon the line sometimes, like a lot
(30:03):
of us do wear in the blueor wearing whatever uniform and kicking in the
doors. Those things happening. ButI think rod life is safer than being
a clerk at seven eleven though wehave frankly with unswitching. Yeah, so
you had a good life. Backto our phone lines to talk with you,
wd IA, Hi caller, Goodafternoon, beb. How are you
(30:25):
good afternoon? How are you sharing? Thank you? You recognize my voice?
Yea. I just have two quickquestions for your guests in one comment.
My first my comment hearing him speakabout the book and all is really
have me interested in reading it?I was wondering will it be in the
Kendles version? R? Is itjust hard copy? It's one question,
(30:45):
well, actually I got three.Second question is how was Patties brought to
the Federals? What made them lookat him? What did he do for
them to investigate him? And mylast question is does he have any family
members? Still here in Memphis.I'm gonna hang up in and I will
see you at the Sister Strut onSaturday. Sounds good sharing, Thank you
sharing? Well, yes it does. Yes, he does to that family
(31:07):
here. He was deported, kickedout of the country of Mexico. He
was not a Mexican American system.A lot of times uh US has an
extradition or ordered with agreement with countrieslike Mexico, and they actually died a
lot of drug traffics from Mexico tothe US. And generally that's only how
they really get prosecuted by coming tothe US. The one thing that they're
(31:30):
afraid of, George Dillis, I'mtalking about the big ones is getting extradieted
to the US. They don't havethe ability to get out of the system
once they country kick them out,and their country's users the extradition, you
know, in a good way.A lot of times they are able to
do that. They get rid oftheir problem and send them to the US
and they generally go to jail andhere in the country. But uh,
(31:52):
whatever your other question were, thenhe asks about how can you get your
book? You can get my book. I'm doing book signing today at five
to seven at Crumpy's High Wings onHolland. You can get a book there,
signed copy. You can get iton Amazon Amazon go to you can
get it off there. You canget it tomorrow and be at the Cigar
(32:13):
Bar Havana Mixed downtown from like oneto four. Oh good, so you
can get it there. You canget it for me. A lot of
people that I know in mythhis you'reable to get it from. But I
would just like to say that thatthere was many people that helped out on
this case. Like I mentioned Thurmanand Richardson My Buddy, My Buddy for
Life. He was one of theMPD guys that really played the significant parts.
(32:35):
There's other guys too. You wouldsee them in the book. The
book is very interesting. And thenthis book is doing quite well. I
think it's as everyone says, it'sa need to read book. You really
would see a lot of stuff thatgoes on in law enforcement and some of
the conflicts and some of the prosecutiondecisions that made that people not really aware
of how someone get prosecuting somebody else. Don't You really need to read the
(33:00):
book and you will really learned fromit. Is just a get learning thing
to read and appreciate you Colling,Well, thank you. We are talking
with mister Abe Collins, former DEAagent, a former Memphis police officer.
Here. His book is called Gladd e A Eightors. I like that
(33:21):
Gladiators the Pursuit of Craig Petty's fromMemphis to Acapoco. And we're come back
and finish our conversation. But I'mglad. George, you mentioned the rocking
Chair because the Rocking Chair is servingup lunch today. You know, the
rocking chair. We rock with entertainmentand we rock with the best Southern soul
(33:42):
food around. The Rocking Chair locatedat fifteen forty two Elvis Presley. They're
serving lunch until five o'clock this evening. Go man, get your dinner.
Yeah, from eleven to five Wednesdaythrough Sunday. Now. On today's menu,
joyege they have catfish baked or fried, chicken fried or smothered, pork
(34:06):
shops, turkey necks, buffalo fish, yams, greens, macaroni and cheese,
cabbage, green beans, great Northernbeans, spaghetti, black app peas,
corn bread. They have it alland your chitlins if you like chitlins.
Miss Ann's Chitlins is definitely there,so if you're hungry, you can
(34:27):
dine in or take out. Callthem right now. They'll have your plate
ready for you. Nine zero onefour two five five two six four nine
zero one four two five five twosix four Dine in or take out at
the Rocking Chair where they rock withthe best entertainment. And speaking of entertainment,
(34:51):
tonight it's karaoke night. Yeah,the bell ringer will be there,
but it's karaoke night at the RockingChair. They start at six o'clock.
This doors open, so you haven'ttook five o'clock go get you something to
eat. You had the rocking cheer, so head on. Ye the Rocking
Chair over there in South Memphis fifteenforty two, Elvis Presley, they rock
(35:13):
with the best Southern soul food around. When you go there, tell them
y'all. Bev Johnson sent you tothe Rocking Chair. Fifteen forty two,
Elvis Presley. It's your girlfriend,Beb Johnson. It's the Bev Johnson Show
(35:34):
on wd IA, Memphis. Yes, you're listening to the Bev Johnson Show.
(36:12):
Here's Bev Johns and we're going toour phone line to get these last
calls in Hirineda, Hello, beverLi, this is Rinita hang out doing
doing well? Rineda, how areyou? I am good? Hello a
Bev. I know this man verywell. Matter fay. We went to
school together, class from White Havennineteen seventy six. Oh wow, you're
(36:36):
doing? Are you doing? RanedaDie? How you doing? I am
doing? Matter of fact, it'sNita calling, So I know that man.
Man and Bell and Abe. Ilaughed so hard because I listened to
WDA twenty four twenty four. WhenI heard his name, I said,
this can't be name Collins, Iknow, and surely it was. So
I laughed at Lady T when hesaid, aren't you scared after this man
(37:00):
Petty go come back and get you? And I thought, no, he
ain't scared because first of all,he's a big guy, you know.
Second of all, he carries agoo hood and know how to use it.
So I just got so chickled.But Abe, I can say this
about you. Ever since i've knownyou, beb, and I've known him
a very long time. He's alwaysbeen a go getter. I know him
(37:22):
when he was just a regular policeofficer, sir, and through his career.
He's never been afraid to take achance and do what he had to
do. And he's never been afraidto break down, you know, bring
down a criminal. So that's notreally in his da. And he's a
good guy. He's a good man. So I had to say that about
you, Abe, and uh,I don't normally call leenen, but when
(37:45):
I heard you talk, I said, that is him, you know,
so Uh, congratulation Abe, Uh, you know, do what you got
to do. Your book. Iwill be many a copy, I sure
will. We will because of myon had told me that you know,
you had written a book, andI thought, wow, okay, okay,
(38:06):
yes we need I read a book. And I appreciate you, love
you and uh the family a man. Tell Barry what's up? And I
said, thank you very much andkeep listening and he and mister Collins is
going to tell where he's going tobe doing his book signing. Okay,
I do that. Okay, y'alltake care of you too, Thank you,
we need bye by common man.Hey, Hey, how you doing?
(38:29):
Bill? Doing well? Common man? In you all right? And
hello to you. Guess I didn'tremember his name, mister Collins. Mister
Collins Okay, I got I gota couple of questions for your curiosity about
that that particular case. Okay,how long did the case? Did the
investigation go on before you all moveforward and ask for an indictment? Uh?
(38:50):
The indictment happened that we started atleast this inniche education in October twenty
October two thousand and one. Weindicted him in like December of two thousand
and two. But he's had afugitive one because he had fled the country.
But when you flee the country,you do what they call provisional warrants.
Since he's outside the country, youknow that. And it takes a
(39:13):
while to actually bring people back fromother countries because other countries ain't always trying
to send them back, particularly whenthey're making a lot of money for some
of the people, correct people thatare there. So that's really what happened,
right, okay. And the otherquestion is now, in this investigation,
it came to light that a lotof stuff was being shipped through Federal
(39:34):
Express. Were you all aware abit and if so, did you all
just allow it to continue to moveon? To be the case, I
was not aware of anything being shippedthrough fed Express. I may have heard
about that. Fed Express is apackage delivering company and you can't ship stuff
to FedEx. There have been seizes, a lot of seizes, but I
(39:54):
don't not aware of big seizes throughFedEx. So in this case, we
don't have any seasy fit Express Express. Okay, yeah, I know that
came out I think in the trialor something like that. I was just
curious about that. I was wonderinghow did they go on like that?
And so those are my questions though. All right, thank you comming man.
All right, bye bye, Hicaptain, all right, look daily,
(40:19):
both of you, but listen,uh. I don't know it's just
the column that worked with it thesouth end or not. But I worked
body tied a lot of guys backin the seventies seventy four we just called.
I wrote several books. I haven'tissued them out because I'm not bold
at you. So I do thankyou for putting your book out there and
everything, because I wrote one calledcorruption within the Department because as a young
(40:44):
cadet officer shot well several of guys. I wouldn't say everything firsthand, only
different. I had a thirty fivemillionity camera like Willa's I was, we
call him. He don't want touse his name, I said, but
I didn't dange a lot of people, and I was concerting with you on
there. I heard somebody ask thatearlier, and I was saying, I
(41:06):
just tuned in a little late.And when I heard names, I don't
know, Abe college, Abe college, Well, captain, let me tell
you. He's going to tell you, I couldn't say. I worked midnight
eight and one, but then hthat was a southeen. I worked every
appreciting but the North. But Iremember back in the early days in seventy
eight when went on striking, whatnow a lot of guys come in.
He was, you didn't come ineighty one eighty one, captain, that's
(41:31):
when he came out. Okay,he was in a class of forty four
or something up and then class wearing. Yeah, I started wearing the county
uniform. So anyway, I wassaying, so many people that I listed
in my books. I wrote threeof them, and the one I wrote
back in nineteen eighty three, listand everything I do. Tell everybody beauty
(41:51):
shop, everybody, write down yourjournal, write down your daily activity,
sort of like Star Trek you puta star date on it, so I
said, please do that because youdon't may have number one BIS, you
might have a movie in the making. Yes, he does what he's doing
all right now he won't thank you, Captain you very much, sir,
(42:12):
bye bye and unforgetful tell you,mister Collins. I just want to ask
a question. Thank you for yourservice to this country dealing with this ever
divid or drugs that we have comingin here now and back in the tath.
The question I want to ask you, can you tell me whatever happened
to the President of Panama during thetime when he was telling drug no rega
(42:35):
is he Do you have any informationon that, because I haven't heard anything
since the day they arrested him andeverything and tried out him and everything.
I was just wondering because you giveme some information on it. Well,
I know DA did arrested him inback in nineteen and I'm gonna say ninety
ninety one, and he was withthe trial in Miami and Miami had the
jewistiction on that South Florida and hedid due time, and I do know
(42:58):
he's he was released at some point. I don't really know it was Noriega
out of out of that country,Uh, South America. I think it
was Panama, but that's about all. I know. You probably gonna do
some research on the internet and findout. Wow, I didn't even know
that. You mean he was released? Yes, yeah, I mean,
(43:19):
my god, Okay, thank you. I just know that's one of the
dangerous jobs in the world because contailsrunning things. Now, thank you back,
they've been running things. Cartail isstill running them out. Still got
a board of directed. This lastquestion I had for you, mister Collins,
that when you you said from Memphisto Acapolco, you got petties in
(43:44):
Acapolco bringing him back. What wasthe conversation like when he was kicked out
of we God had him brought backto Houston, Texas, which was the
first what they called a port ofentry, which normally you have to when
you deport people. You bring himto the first jurisdiction, which is Houston,
Texas. And I always did meethim. The group of the guys
(44:06):
that I was with, we methim. He was a subdued I'm gonna
put it like this, here's aguy been free all his life, and
he probably figured he did figure hewasn't gonna ever see daylight again. He
was very subdued, and you kindof feel sorry for people like that,
I believe it or not. Soin the book you would see the feelings
that we had, okay, andhis words was you know, you try
(44:27):
to do introduction and tell him whathe says. Before I could finish,
I know who you are. Well, I know who he was, but
he actually knew who I was.It was just it was interesting. Wow.
But I can't wait to read itbecause I was just just skimming through
there and looking at something. Ican't wait to read it. Mister Collins,
tell our listeners where you're having yourbook signing? Okay, today we
(44:51):
having one at Crump that's my friend, Donald Crump over there on Highland.
That's my buddy too, Donald Trumpon Holland five to seven. Come get
your book signed. If you alreadybought a book, you still come get
your book signed. If you hadn'tabout one, come get it tomorrow from
twelve to four one to four atHavana Mixed Cigar Bar on Peabody Place,
downtown memphisis for the downtown crowd.You can come down into. I just
(45:15):
know how it is so from one, one to four or twelve to four.
However, we get down there andget started. Uh but that But
what's is interesting in about this ifyou an investor, interesting and helping us
produce the movie locally, there's alot of people that share locally. Very
interesting in doing a movie on thisstory. This story is deserving of a
(45:36):
movie with all the people that's involved, with all the local people like I
mentioned Thurman, and I mentioned someof the prosecutors here locally and some of
their law enforcement from the share thekind of sheriff department to the MPD,
all of those guys. This storyis a law enforcement story. We try
to make it a drug story,but it's a law enforcement story. That's
what I want to put. Ifyou thinking about I want to invest in
(45:57):
something like this, this would bea good time to come to up tomorrow,
Elevana Mix. Very good time.We're gonna app selling books and just
you know, meeting each other.Sounds good. Thank you mister Abe Collins
for sharing your story with us.His book, y'all, is called Glad
d e a Ators Glad Diators ThePursuit of Craig Petties from Memphis to Acapolco.
(46:22):
He will be doing his book signingnow there Tell tell Crumpy. I
said, hey, what's up though, what's up? What's up? What's
up? Hey, mister Abe Collins. Thank you, mister Collins, Thank
you callers, Thank you listeners forjoining us this day on the BEV Johnson
Show. We do, we reallydo appreciate you. So until tomorrow,
(46:46):
please be safe, keep a coolhead, y'all, don't let anyone steal
your joy. Until tomorrow, I'mBev Johnson, and y'all keep the faith.
The views and opinions discussed on TheBEB Johnson Show are that of the
hosts and callers, and not thoseof the staff and sponsors of w d IA.
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