Edward Hamel is an Associate Attorney at MayesTelles PLLC. Ed was born in Ontario, Canada and grew up in Northern New York State. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Magna Cum Laude) from the University at Albany, State University of New York and holds a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University.
Prior to attending law school, Ed was a Federal Agent for both the United States Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security. Ed worked in San Diego, California, Northern New York State, and the last eight years of his career as a Special Agent in Phoenix. Due to his extensive prior experience, Ed was assigned as an Agent in Phoenix to investigate drug related kidnappings in conjunction with the Phoenix Police Department’s Violent Crimes Bureau. Because of Ed’s success there, he was later assigned to work with Phoenix Gun Enforcement Unit, a collaborative effort with the Phoenix Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Ed distinguished himself as an expert in international firearms trafficking investigations, providing instruction in case investigation and prosecution methodologies at the National Advocacy Center, in Columbia, South Carolina, as well as advanced training seminars at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. Additionally, Ed has extensively lectured on firearms and drug trafficking investigations at multi-agency conferences and training events.
Upon promotion to Supervisory Special Agent, and later Resident Agent in Charge, Ed was tasked with leading a multi-agency, Federal Drug and Firearm Smuggling Task Force that targeted mid to high level transnational criminal organizations. In these capacities, he has led, participated in, and supervised dozens of telephone and electronic data intercept (“wire-tap”) investigations under both Federal and State authorities.
Ed also served as the agency representative to the local Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) board, which has responsibility for the initial approval of all OCDETF based investigations originating central and northern Arizona. Additionally, Ed served on the agency’s U-Visa committee, responsible for ensuring that the requisite law enforcement agency certification was provided to qualified U-Visa applicants.
Ed obtained his law degree from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and worked at MayesTelles as Law Clerk both while attending law school and post-bar exam. Ed is licensed to practice before all Arizona Courts.
Experience
- Former Federal Agent for United States DOJ and Dept. Homeland Security
- Extensive experience on firearms and drug trafficking
- Criminal defense case law
