Marine veteran Mark Sewell talks about his FBI career, including investigating violent criminal organizations, human trafficking and stolen valor cases in today’s episode of Tango Alpha Lima.
Marine Corps veteran Mark Sewell is among the many veterans who followed up their military service with a civilian career in federal law enforcement. He joined the Marines as a married 19-year-old with a child.
“It was an eye-opener,” he recalls of boot camp. “I was more mature than the average 17- or 18-year-old. It was a welcome to the Marine Corps for sure. Boot camp will stay with you forever.”
After separating from the Marines, Sewell joined the FBI as an agent who spent his career investigating violent criminal organizations, human trafficking and stolen valor cases. Mark Sewell, a member of American Legion Post 201 in Georgia, shares his fascinating story in today’s episode of The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast.
“There is definitely a connection between the Marine Corps and the FBI,” he says, noting it has a higher percentage of agency employees than the other military branches. “A reason for that is veterans want to continue to serve even while leaving service. That’s why you see so many veterans going into law enforcement, first responders and in this case, federal law enforcement.”
After graduating from the FBI Academy, he was assigned to a newly organized crime unit in Atlanta to tackle mob issues. “I was the least qualified person to take that position,” he says, but noted two fellow agents had worked previously in New York City, including on the John Gotti case. “I learned from the firehose of knowledge those guys brought with them.”
In 2008, Sewell was dispatched as an agent in Afghanistan, his first of two tours. The goal was to bring terrorists to trial in the U.S. The FBI agents were potentially needed to testify during trials since it would not be suitable for SEALs, Green Berets and others to do so. Agents would gather evidence from searches, during interrogations and other tasks.
“The bureau has been doing these type of missions all the way back to World War II,” he says. “It’s not well known, but it does have a long history. Being enlisted, being an officer, being an agent — all of those are a logical step that builds on the previous and gets you ready to do the next thing. My Marine time and my FBI time served me well for Afghanistan. The military was very happy to have the bureau enablers in hindsight. We built long and happy relationships.”
Beyond organized crime, Sewell also dealt with human trafficking, primarily with Asia. It often starts with bogus visas.
For example, tens of thousands of Asian women enter the U.S. under the visa program to work as a domestic house cleaner. As soon as they arrive, their handler takes their passport and puts the women into prostitution or assign them to work at a massage parlor.
“The threat of being sent back is more scary to them than the consequences of staying,” he says.
Sewell is a published author, “Investigating America’s Most Notorious Strip Club: The FBI, The Gold Club, and the Mafia.” His next book, about stolen valor, is expected to be published in 2026.
Also in this episode co-hosts Stacy Pearsall, Adam Marr and Joe Worley chat about:
• A Reddit post about a survivor of human trafficking.
• Whether bowling is the secret to living to 100.
• Arrests made in the killing of a Marine veteran working as a rideshare driver.
You can also check out the more than 300 Tango Alpha Lima podcasts available in both audio and video formats here. You can also download episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify other major podcast-hosting sites. The video version is available at the Legion’s YouTube channel.
- Tango Alpha Lima