APPEARANCE AS WITNESS IN BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
Originator: CIA
From: [[DELETION]]
To: CHIEF, SE DIVISION
Document date: 01/11/1977
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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104-10106-10068

2023 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

" RETURNOO GIA

Backgrourd We Ony

•A Do Noi Reproduce

11 January 1977

MENORANDUM FOR: Chief, SE Division

ATTENTION

:

Division Security Officer

FROM

: (Thomas L. Briggs)

SE/X/LA

SUBJECT

Appearance As. Witness In Behalf of the

United States Governnent

REFERENCE

: USA: V. Gerald P. Herming, Et Al. (76-371-CR-CA) * .

1. During the period of my employment as a Special Agent at the

Drug Enforcement Administration (May 1974 - Jan 1977), I conducted an

interview of Gerald Patrick Henming (DPOB 1 March 1937, at Los Angeles,

California) on 23 May 1975 at DEA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

My report concerning that interview has become part of the case file

Case Number 76-371-CR-CA,

Southern District of Florida, Miami, Florida.

2. Upon my entrance on duty in SE Division on 5 January 1977,

I orally informed the Division Security Officer, Billy Hix; about

the information in paragraph 1 above. Mr. Hix asked me to submit

the information in writing as soon as I was settled in the Division.

un January 19/1, however, Special Agent Robert Fredericks

telephonically contacted Hope Mason, DC/SE/X/LA, and told her that

the United States Attornery, Southern District of Florida, had

requested that I appear at the U.S. Courthouse, Miami, Florida on

10 January 1977 to confer with the Assistant United States Attorney,

Karen L. Atkinson, regarding my appearance as a witness in behalf of the

U.S. Government in the trial of Gerald P. Hemming.

3.. During the afternoon of 7 January 1977 I conferred with Mr. Hix

who advised me to contact the Office of the General Counsel. I talked

to Mr. Edmund Cohen who advised me to get in touch with the Office of

Security, External Activities Branch (OS/EAB). I completed an

Outside Activity Approval Request (Form 879), obtained the concurrence

of DC/SE, Mr. John Stein, and submitted the Form 879 to OS/EAB.

OS/EAB sent me to Central Cover Staff (Mr. Blandford) and then to the

Office of the General Counsel. After discussions with Mr. Cohen, I called

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S/A Fredericks in Miami at Mr. Cohen's suggestion: S/A Fredericks was

not available. Mr. Cohen then advised me to return to my office and

he would contact me with further instructions. Mr. Cohen retained

the Form 879. Subsequently, Mr. Cohen advised me that I should travel

to Miami as requested and that CIA would reimburse me for expenses

connected with my activities in behalf of the U.S. Government.

further advised me that being in an overt cover status I should state,

if asked under oath, that I am currently a CIA employee.

On 10 January 1977 I traveled to Miami where I met and

conferred luf dusa laiun Ackinson and DEA S/A Robert Fredericks.

They informed me that Gerald P. Hemming's case had been severed and

AUSA Atkinson told me she

wanted me as a rebuttal witness if Gerald P. Hemming presented the

defense that he had been working at the direction of DEA.

She said

they would not call me until and unless that defense was presented.

She also said that she felt that any attempt to question me concerning

my current place of employment was irrelevent and she would object to

any such line of questioning.

She said she would only ask me where

I was employed at the time I interviewed. Hemming. I returned to

Washington D.C. the same day.

03

Thomas f Briggo

Thomas L. Briggs

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TO

THRU:

RETURN TO GIA

CLASSIFY AS APPROPRIATE

Backgreund Use Only

OUTSIDE ACTIVITY APPROVAL REQUESTDO Not Reproduce

COMPLETE AND FORWARD ORIGINAL AND 2• COPIES TO EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES BRANCH

DATE

DIRECTOR OF SECURITY; ATTN: EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES BRANCH

7 Jan 77

(Staff.

division or office head and security officer.

where assigned)

SE Division Security Officer

NAME, AND GRADE OF EMPLOYEE (PrINS Or

COMPONENT

ROOM NO. AND BLDG.

PHONE

FROM:

1555

BRIGUS, Thomas 1, 12/3

DDO/sE

HQ 5529

5953

DESCRIPTION OF OUTSIDE ACTIVITY

WHICH

APPROVAL IS REQUESTED INCLUDING NAMES OF

ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS

CONCERNED, DATES. LOCALE, ETC. (Refer to HR 10-7 before completing)

On 7 January 1977 at approx. 130 hrs. I was informed by my supervisor, l

hot the be be teleponell contact a at eror che of paren

Florida (Ofc 305-591-4902, Res 305-595-1690) and told that DiA wants me to travel

to Miami, to attend a ore-trial conference on Monday 10 January in order to prepare

for possible appearance as a witress for the DEA against Gerald Patrick MiTTNT.

I consulted with the se Division Security Officer wo advised me to contact the

OGC. At approx. 1150 hrs this date i talkea to the OGC wno advised me to contact

the Office of Security, Exterral Activities Branch.

2. REMARKS BY REQUESTOR

IN ENGAGING IN THE REQUESTED ACTIVITY, I WILL MAKE NO REFERENCE TO OR DISCUSS

MY CIA ASSIGNMENTS OR DUTIES. I (WILI, WILL NOT) BE IDENTIFIED AS EMPLOYED BY CIA

FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

•I was a CLA employee from Jan 09 to May 74 prior to transferring to DEA. I was

under covor at that time. I have not yet seen put under cover since my new &0D

(3J an77) .

COMMENTS AND CONCURRENCE OF STAFF. DIVISION OR OFFICE HEAD

CONCUR:

7il7e Shutt

LATING OFFICIAL

FOR COMPIETION BY EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES BRANCH AND RETURN OF ORIGINAL TO EMPLOYEE

19 Janeary197

ECURITY APPROVAL HAS BREN (GRANTE

OR THE ACTIVITY CONTEMPLATED BY THIS REQUEST

(FOR) CHIEF, SECURITY SUPPORT DIVISION

FORM

3 - 75

879

USE

EDITIONS

31pd

CLASSIFY AS APPROFRIATE

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OPERATIONAL CONTACT REPORT

Project Title

Asset ID

Code Name

EMBRYO

none

none

1.

DETAILS OF CONTACT

Date

Place

Participants

COVEr

23 May 1975

Washington, D.C.

GeraLd PatrICK HENNING

& 5a Enomas BRIGGS.

N/A

03

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2.

NEXT

N/A

MEETING

3. ALTERNATE MEETING .

N/A

4 .

INTELLIGENCE REPORTING

On May 23, 1975 Gerald Patrick HEMMING walked in to

DIug Enforcement Administration Headquarters, 1405 I Street,

w.w., Washington,. D.c, 20537 and asked to see

MI. Incier

conein, who is

the Acting Chief, Special Operations

and Field

Support Staff.: HEMMING told CONEIN that Mitchell Livingston

WERBELL III had given

HEMMING CONEIN's name as a DEA official

to whon HEMMING could talk. HEMMING told CONEIN that he wanted

o provide intormation on drug trafficking between colombla

and. Florida. CONEIN asked SA Thomas BRIGGS to. conduct e

debriefing of HEMMING since SA BRIGGS) was working on the

collection of narcotic intelligence concerning Colombia and

Florida.

•HEMMING stated that he is presently employed at TECPOLE

Security, 801 Madrid, Suite 105,. Coral Gables, Florida, telephone

305-443-9681 01 305-446-8379. (HEMMING stated he believed

that 443-9681 was being tapped, he did not say who he believed

was tapping the

telephone)

He stated that he has extensive

experience

in paramilitary air operations, having served in

CASTRO's rebel army and then with several anti-castro groups

operating from Florida in the 1960's.

He claimed extensive

knowledge and experience in all types of air operations.

3/Pd

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AETURNTO CIA

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In August: 1974 HEMMING was approached by Armando BOLET.

Cuban veteran of the

2506 Brigade whom HEMMING had worked

with in anti-Castro activities, and by John VARESE infi),

to help them organize and run air snuggling operations

for

Thomas and. William O'DONNEL.

The O'DONNEL brothers, using

the cover of their construction firm in the ft. Lauderdale

area, (AMERICAN EASTERN DEVELOPMENT) were involved in maritime

smuggling of marijuana from Colombia to Florida.

During an

unspecified four years (probably 1970-74) the O'DONNEL's had

averaged approximately six-seven loads of marijuana per year

at three-four tons for each

loads snuggled into Florida.

of these. 24-28 loads of marijuana they had to jettison into

the sea only five loads for security reasons.

The rest of the

loads had been successfully delivered into Florida.

The source of the marijuana in Colombia is DI. Arturo

ROMANO-Fedullo of Barranquilla,

colombia.

Besides. running

the

smuggling for RoMaNo, William O'DONNEL handles the laundering

of the money accumulated by drug trafficking through banks

in. Grand Cayman, Switzerland, and Curacao.

¿Armando BOLET convinced the O'DONNEl's that they

add air smuggling to their narcotic trafficking nethods and

that they should also try cocaine in addition to marijuana.

BOLET told the O'DONNEL's that there were many experienced

men available in Florida who could be used to smuggle drugs

into. Florida üy aii. BOLET was especially interested in cargo

parachute drops and parachute jumps by individuals carryiny

loads of cocaine.

BOLET recruited HEMMING to help organize

these activities. A common technique used by BOLET and HEMMING

was to fly an aircraft into Florida legally, but to have a

parachutist jump onto a pre-selected drop zone in southern

Flörida prior to landing the aircraftst This way, police

authorities never found any contraband on the aircraft and the

dropped narcotics would not be-lost because. the parachutist

carried them on his person,: *If.he missed: the drop zone he could

simply fold up his parachute: and walk to the location of the

reception conmittee.! BOLET fuses. a DC-3*tail-number N1099 and

a Navajo Chieftain tail number N76781 in his snuggling operations.

HEMMING: had

a falling out with the O'DONNEL group and

decided to leave them: He is now associated with,carlos

CARABALLO who operates a chaiter fishing business

and traffics

in drugs.

HEMMING decided to inform on the O'DONNEL'S fOI

revenge and in order to try to eliminate the competition.

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- 3-

Gerald Patrick KEMMING W

Thomas O' DONNEL

william O'DONNEL

Arturo ROMANO-Fedullo

Carlos CARABALLO

Armando BOLET

John VARESE

METURN TO GIA

Naddis 310145

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FBI # 200 269 EDo Noi Reproduce

Naddis 327615

Naddis 326518

Naddis 67658

Naddis 270732

Naddis 279217

Nadäis 273842

Naddis 23174

Naddis 47225

Naddis

156721

5717-75

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485-305-591-4902=DEA

Do N35 Orodico

: 3, AUSA

- Karen Atkinson 5461

4 pay travel -

1. when triali Tues

. 2. C'aption lace

what count

care но: Saltas

76-376-CR-CA

Judge

Bob- Fredericke

305- 591-4902 (res 305-595-1698)

Peter Scarocca John Mantyla 591- 4910

DS/EAB 4E33

x1193

Bot Morses

Grafton Tayman

OGC

Ed Cohen X1319

Gary brennerar

Andy Percial

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