Marshal candidates line up, out of the spotlight

By GRAHAM BRINK

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 13, 2001

TAMPA -- A new U.S. marshal is coming to town, that much is for sure.

Who it will be is still up in the air, although a number of local law enforcement types have thrown their hats into the ring.

Current U.S. Marshal Don Moreland, who was appointed by President Clinton in 1993, has said he will step down. The 94 U.S. marshals across the country, like U.S. attorneys, serve at the pleasure of the president and in most cases resign when a new administration enters the White House.

It's a political appointment that often occurs without much fanfare, below the radar of all but the most interested observers. That sounds a lot like the way the agency conducts its business, low key and out of the public view, said David F. Adkins, a deputy U.S. marshal in Tampa who has applied for the top job.

"That can be good and bad," he said. "You don't want to be seeking the spotlight all the time, but it helps with funding, morale and general awareness if the public knows what the agency does."

What is generally known about the marshals often comes from movie characters, such as Nicolas Cage battling fellow prisoners in Con Air or Tommy Lee Jones chasing Harrison Ford in The Fugitive.

The agency is the oldest federal law enforcement agency in the country, dating back to 1789. Past deputy marshals included gunslingers Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickok. The lessor known Ward Lamon defended President Abraham Lincoln against a variety of attacks. Lamon, however, was called away from Washington on the night of Lincoln's assassination.

The marshals specialize in fugitive investigations, protecting the courts, witness security, prisoner custody and transportation and asset seizure. The service also has an elite counterterrorism team.

The U.S. marshal for the Middle District of Florida, which includes St. Petersburg, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville, oversees about 50 deputies and a support staff of 20. Earlier this year, rumors flew that Tampa Police Chief Bennie Holder and Hillsborough Sheriff Cal Henderson were jockeying for the job. Both men quickly squelched the rumors, saying they were sticking with their current jobs.

While more are likely to enter the race, the candidates whose names are generating the most buzz right now are Adkins, Deputy Marshal Bob Pastula and University of Phoenix and St. Petersburg Community College teacher G. Wayne Tilman.

Adkins, 53, has spent the past 27 years with the Marshals Service in Tampa, Jacksonville and South Florida. An Army paratrooper, Adkins returned from the Vietnam War with a Silver Star and two Bronze Stars.

He's a firm believer that the Marshals Service needs to raise its profile in the Tampa area.

"I want to be an active U.S. marshal, " he said. "I'd bet less than one in 10 people off the street could explain what we do. That needs to change."

Pastula, 43, is a 15-year veteran of the Marshals Service, working now as a division supervisor in the Fort Myers office. He supervised the security team when former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega was transported to Miami.

If he gets the job, Pastula said, he doesn't envision making any major changes. He thinks the local offices run very well and would work to keep it that way.

"It's one of those jobs where you get to do a lot of good," he said. "I'd like to do what I can to enhance that."

Tilman has a less traditional background as an applicant for the job. He has not worked for the Marshals Service. According to his resume -- Tilman did not want to comment for this story -- he was the director of security for a Virginia banking corporation and developed response procedures for bank robberies.

Tilman, who served in the Marine Corps, is a liaison officer with the U.S. Coast Guard. He teaches economics, finance and business and is a history buff who has written articles and books on topics ranging from counterterrorism to the history of the American West.

The selection process is similar to the one used to pick U.S. attorneys and federal judges.

A nominating committee will make recommendations to U.S. Reps. Clay Shaw and C.W. Bill Young and to Gov. Jeb Bush, who have agreed to work together in making recommendations to George W. Bush. The U.S. Senate has to confirm the president's selections. The process can take many months.

- Graham Brink can be reached at (813) 226-3365.

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