Pubdate: Sat, 29 Dec 2001
Source: Courier-Journal, The (KY)
Copyright: 2001 The Courier-Journal
Contact:  http://www.courier-journal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/97

FBI Agent Who Handled Major E. Kentucky Cases Set To Retire On Tuesday

LONDON, Ky. -- An FBI agent who helped convict five sheriffs, a police 
chief and a judge on public corruption charges is retiring Tuesday.

David Keller, 54, spent the last 21 years based in the London FBI office. 
In that time, he's been involved in some of the biggest cases in Eastern 
Kentucky.

''He's just probably the finest example of a career FBI agent that I've 
ever seen,'' said Scott Barker, supervisory special agent over the London 
and Pikeville FBI offices.

The cases Keller was involved in included the 1991 convictions of three 
sheriffs, a police chief and a deputy in Lee, Owsley and Wolfe counties for 
taking payoffs to protect drug smuggling.

In 1994, his work helped arrest another sheriff -- who had served four 
terms as judge-executive in Lee County -- in a large marijuanatrafficking 
investigation that also nailed two dozen others, including two deputies and 
a candidate for sheriff.

In 1986, he helped snare 16 people in a three-year investigation of 
payoffs, insurance fraud and other crimes. Among those charged was the 
sheriff and former judge-executive of Morgan County, former state-police 
Commissioner Butch Campbell, a district judge, a doctor, an accountant and 
two lawyers. All but Campbell were convicted.

After assignments in Newark, N.J.; Omaha, Neb.; and Minneapolis, Minn., 
Keller, a Kentucky native, reported to the London FBI office in November 1980.

''I'd say he's probably had more positive impact on the crime problem down 
there than any particular guy I've known,'' said Jim Huggins, who 
supervised several FBI offices in Kentucky before retiring in 1995. ''I 
think he just had a real commitment to doing the right thing and helping 
people.''

Officers who worked with Keller said he was a patient, dogged investigator 
who made meticulous plans.

''Dave would leave no stone unturned,'' said state police Detective Tom 
McKnight, who has worked with Keller for more than 10 years.

McKnight and others said Keller is a down-to-earth man who got people to 
open up and cooperate because he didn't talk down to suspects or 
informants, and treated even criminals with respect.

Keller, a committed Catholic and longtime Sunday School teacher who once 
gave back a bank robber's Bible during a search, said few people are 
completely bad.

Barker said Keller always swore after a big case that he'd never work 
another one but always did. But after 30 years, too much time away from his 
wife and two sons, and some health problems, Keller said he's ready to slow 
down.

Keller said he feels good about the changes in southeastern Kentucky during 
the last 20 years. There is better cooperation between law-enforcement 
agencies, and local police have become much more professional, he said.

Police have driven vote buyers underground and hit drug rings hard.

''We've really made some progress over the years,'' Keller said. ''I'm 
going to miss the work, but I'm not going to miss life in the fast lane.''
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart