In 1969 he joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency as a Special Agent working undercover in Detroit and New York. He quickly advanced to supervisory positions, including Country Attache in Jamaica, and subsequently became the Special Agent in Charge of the Southeast Region, from which he later retired so he could remain in Georgia. Shortly afterward, Governor Miller appointed him to the Parole Board. While a DEA leader, his concern about youth at risk for drug addiction and criminality led him to implement an award winning prevention program. His tough stance on criminals, his expert knowledge of the impact of drugs, and his dedication to divert youth from crime added impetus to the agency goals of public safety.