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.'' - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart