Provides Opinion & Testimony In:
Forensic Document Examiner, Questioned Documents Examiner, Handwriting, Signature Analysis
Expert Witness No.557
California
A retired U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Officer and California Department of Consumer Affairs Certified Forensic Sciences Instructor, Expert 557 has more than 29 years of professional experience involving most aspects of forensic document examination. He is a former San Diego Police Dept. forensic document examiner and, for the past 21 plus years, a private forensic document examiner, consultant and testifying expert. Expert 557 received his apprenticeship in questioned documents, beginning in 1979, at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department while employed as a Fraud Investigator (California Peace Officer) by the County of Riverside. While employed as a Special Investigator by the State Bar of California, Expert 557 was also a non-compensated Deputy County Clerk in several California Counties.
In criminal matters, Expert 557 has been retained on such crimes ranging from theft, prescription forgery to murder. In civil litigation, he has been retained on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants in matters ranging from suspected forged promissory notes of a few thousand dollars to suspected forged documents with values in the millions of dollars. His cases, both criminal and civil, have included high profile or highly publicized figures or incidents. Expert 557 has lectured extensively on the subject of questioned documents on a local and international level. He is regarded as an excellent expert witness by those who have retained him to provide expert witness testimony and is respected by his peers.
Formal Education:
Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice (Cum Laude).
Available For & Consulted on Matters Involving:
Real Estate Transactions
Corporate Investigations
General Civil Litigation
Medical Malpractice
Immigration Matters
Anonymous Letters
Sexual Harassment
Probate Matters
Criminal
Family Law
Criminal defense
Insurance Fraud
Areas of Expertise & Services Offered Involving:
Development & Decipherment of Indented Writings
Photocopier Classification & Identification
Typewriting Classification & Identification
Signature & Handwriting Identification
Document Dating & Anachronism
Detection of Altered Documents
Computer-Generated Documents
Decipherment of Obliterations
Photocopy Manipulations
Ink & Paper Analyses
Counterfeit Detection
Expert Witness Testimony
Consulting
Venues where Expert Witness Testimony has been provided in California:
Available upon request
Testified on behalf of:
Available upon request
Teaching & Other Consulting Experience:
1989-1994/2004: U. S. Department of Justice (ICITAP), Washington, D. C. Former chief consultant and instructor of questioned documents courses. Presented formal questioned document and expert witness testimony classes to law enforcement and intelligence agents throughout Central and South America and Caribbean.
1988-1995: Grossmont College, El Cajon, California, Forensic Technology Program.
Adjunct faculty and chief instructor.
Examined Documents & Rendered Conclusions on Behalf of:
Bossier Parish District Attorney’s Office, Benton, Louisiana
San Diego County Office of the Alternate Public Defender
San Bernardino County Office of the Public Defender
Riverside County Office of the Public Defender
U. S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
San Diego County Public Defenders’ Office
City of San Diego City Attorney’s Office
U. S. Postal Service Human Resources
County Counsel, County of San Diego
Naval Criminal Investigative Services
California Attorney General’s Office
Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc.
Drug Enforcement Administration
Beverly Hills Police Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U. S. Postal Inspection Service
San Diego Police Department
Internal Revenue Service
Federal Grand Jury
And numerous private law firms, insurance carriers, corporations and private concerns
Highlights of Specialized Formal Questioned Documents Training:
1971: Golden West College, Huntington Beach, CA, Examination of Questioned Documents course,
1980: Golden West College, Huntington Beach, CA, Examination of QuestionedDocuments course.
1980: Institute of Applied Science. Included the Identification of Handwriting and Typewriting, Syracuse, NY, Scientific Crime Detection.
1980: U. S. Secret Service, Department of the Treasury, Washington, D.C., Questioned
Documents Course,
1986: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia, Fundamentals of Document Examination for Laboratory Personnel,
International Association for Identification (Questioned Document Section)
Evidence Photographers’ International Council School of Evidence Photography & Imaging (EPIC)
Highlights of Continuing Professional Education:
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Forensic Digital Imaging
Southwestern Association of Forensic Document Examiners, Inc. (SWAFDE)
American Board of Forensic Document Examiners (ABFDE)
American Society of Questioned Document Examiners (ASQDE)
American Academy of Forensic Sciences (Questioned Document Section) (AAFS)
Rochester Institute of Technology
California Department of Justice
Professional Employment:
Document Examiner, Escondido, CA. – A Private Forensic Document Service
Document Examiner, San Diego, CA. – A Private Document Examiner Company
Police Document Examiner, Forensic Sciences Unit, San Diego, CA. – A Local Police Department
Document Examiner, County of Los Angeles, CA. – Controller’s Office
Staff Special Investigator & Document Examiner, Los Angeles, CA. – State Bar of California
Fraud Investigator (California Peace Officer) and Document Examiner. – County of Riverside, CA
Professional Affiliations:
International Association for Identification (Questioned Document Section & Questioned Document Section Committee Member)
American Academy of Forensic Sciences (Questioned Document Section)
Southwestern Association of Forensic Document Examiners, Inc. (Charter Member)
San Diego County Investigators Association (Past President)
Evidence Photographers International Council
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
Licenses & Certifications:
1970 – Private Investigator’s License: Issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs.
1993 – Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designation: Awarded by the Association of
Certified Fraud Examiners.
1998 – Certified Professional Investigator (CPI) designation: Awarded by the California
Association of Licensed Investigators, Inc.,
2000 – Professional Certificate in Criminal Justice from National University, San Diego, CA. Included the formal presentation of a research paper related to the forensic examination of photocopies to peers and faculty of National University.
2004 – Certified Instructor: California Department of Consumer Affairs: Certified to teach
“Forensic Sciences and Technology” and “Security Services Administration & Management”
2004 – Fraud Claim Law Specialist (FCLS): A comprehensive course of study in insurance fraud law and defense investigation resulting in the FCLS professional designation conferred by American Educational Institute, Inc.
Proficiency Testing:
Expert 557 has participated and continues to participate in voluntary proficiency testing for questioned document examiners administered by a third parties, one of which also administers forensic testing in other disciplines to major law enforcement agencies.
Academic & Military Honors:
Graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from
National University, San Diego, CA.
Award of Recognition. Recognized by PI Magazine as one of the Nation’s Leading Private Investigators because of contributions made to the private investigation field as a forensic document examiner.
Certificate of Achievement for Outstanding Performance as a Teacher: Awarded by
Grossmont Community College, El Cajon, CA.
Purple Heart Medal: Awarded for “wounds received in action” against communist guerrilla forces while serving in the former Republic of South Vietnam with U. S. Marines.
U. S. Army Achievement Medal: Earned for meritorious service while serving as a Marine
Liaison Officer for the U. S. Army Oregon National Guard.
Military Experience:
Criminal Investigator (trainee), Sergeant, USMC.
Criminal Investigations Officer/Military Police Officer, Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Ret), USMCR. As an Officer of Marines, provided training for members of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and military policemen in questioned documents and investigations and examined documents for the CID.
