In a joint event with Sisters in Crime OC, SoCal MWA presents ATF Special Agent Stephanie Romo taking us inside a true murder for hire undercover operation.
In 2013, in the parking lot of a Southland restaurant, Antonio Quevado and Adelina Cristobal agreed to pay $6,500.00 to a hit man in exchange for the murder of Cristobal’s nephew. The hit man was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Quevedo and Cristobal were arrested and charged with using interstate commerce equipment – cellphones – in the murder-for-hire plan. Both defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced to significant time in federal prison.
U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent Stephanie Romo served as the case agent during the investigation. SA Romo has been employed by ATF for eight years. She was deputized at 24 years old. A native of Tucson, Arizona, Stephanie graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in sociology. She taught special education and worked in private equity in San Francisco before being hired on with ATF. Stephanie was inspired to go into federal law enforcement at an early age after watching Jodi Foster’s character in Silence of the Lambs. She became a volunteer with the local police department at age 10.
Throughout her career with ATF, she has participated in a variety of investigations including large-scale firearms and narcotics, homemade explosives and homicide cases. She has also gone undercover for an assortment of cases in which individuals were selling firearms and narcotics.
Stephanie lives in Manhattan Beach with her husband and their rescue bloodhound, Dolly, who could be a stunt double for McGruff the crime-fighting dog. She also recently won the Showcase Showdown on The Price Is Right.
This luncheon is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Come armed with questions.
Irvine Ranch Water District
15500 Sand Canyon Ave.
Irvine, CA 92618-3102