(Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection - Letter to the Editor)

Jeff Sandy from Vienna is a candidate for the House of Delegates District 11. I have been close friends with Jeff since 1982 and I strongly recommend him for this position. Jeff is a retired U.S. Treasury Department, Criminal Investigation Division, supervisory special agent; former Wood County sheriff: Gov. Jim Justices’ cabinet secretary for Homeland Security; and a successful businessman. When Sandy retired as cabinet secretary he was honored by the governor with the Distinguished West Virginian Award, the state’s highest award.

Jeff, his wife, and two sons have deep roots in Wood County. He is an accomplished law enforcement professional and businessman with extensive expertise in legal, financial, and administrative matters. I have worked closely with him on numerous investigations and legal issues, and have always found him to be fair, ethical, and deeply committed to justice.

One area in which Jeff particularly excels is his ability to meet, communicate, and effectively work with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds to accomplish a common goal. This is an essential skill for a member of the House of Delegates, and one he possesses in abundance. In addition, his tenacity and work ethic are incomparable.

Jeff is also a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist. His accomplishments have earned him honor awards from the secretaries, U.S. Department of Treasury and Department of Defense for his financial investigative work in Iraq concerning the recovery of millions of dollars from the administration of Saddam Hussein.

Throughout his 40-year career, Jeff has investigated and supervised several of the nation’s largest financial fraud cases. He has testified as an expert witness on money laundering in five U.S. District Courts and has lectured for the Department of Justice, DEA, FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces, and major financial institutions. He has taught financial investigative techniques to more than 145,000 law enforcement officers, bankers, government officials, and dignitaries from around the world. His investigative work has saved financial institutions more than $52 million in fines, and his clients have recovered over $11 million.

His training manual, Trace It, was provided at no cost to more than 95,000 federal, state, and local prosecutors and law enforcement officers. In June 2016, he authored the cover story for The Counter Terrorist International Edition magazine on international financial terrorism.

Based on his experience, character, work ethic, and long-standing commitment to this community, I strongly support Jeff Sandy for the House of Delegates, District 11. He is unquestionably qualified and will serve the citizens of Wood County with fairness, integrity, and excellence.

Larry Mincks

Sheriff, Washington County (Ret.)