Monte Stiles served his entire professional legal career of 29 years as a state and federal prosecutor. For 24 years, Monte was an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Idaho where he supervised the Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force – a group of agents and prosecutors who investigated and prosecuted high-level drug trafficking organizations, including Los Angeles street gangs, methamphetamine manufacturers, marijuana growers on public lands, and multi-state drug cartels. During a decade-long investigation of international drug smuggling and money laundering, Monte worked closely with foreign, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the pursuit of evidence and witnesses in Hong Kong, Thailand, Fiji, Australia, Canada, and various locations in Europe. In 1995, Monte served as Special Counsel to the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys in Washington D.C. where his primary assignments involved domestic terrorism, violent crime, juvenile justice, and narcotics.
As a result of his expertise, Monte has been an instructor for the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina, numerous state and regional law enforcement conferences, and five international organized crime seminars where he taught prosecutors, judges, and police officers from the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, and Croatia.
In addition to his duties as a federal prosecutor, Monte has been a passionate drug educator and motivational speaker for schools, businesses, churches, law enforcement agencies, prevention groups, and other youth and parent organizations. One of his proudest personal and career achievements was the organization and implementation of the statewide “Enough is Enough” anti-drug campaign which produced community coalitions in every area of Idaho.
Late in his career, Monte realized that decades of dealing with the darkest aspects of the human condition had effected his ability to appreciate some of life’s simplest pleasures. This led him to an interest in nature and wildlife photography. Through the lens of a camera, Monte quickly rediscovered everything that is wonderful in life — a world full of amazing people, beautiful landscapes, fascinating creatures, and boundless opportunities and adventures. His images have been featured on the cover of magazines and in articles about the great outdoors. At the end of every presentation, Monte uses his images to illustrate the dramatic difference that choices bring – either the darkness of a toxic and dangerous drug culture, or a life filled with beauty, joy, children, family, safe communities, and health brains and bodies.
Monte received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and graduated from J. Reuben Clark Law School in 1982. In his personal life, Monte served for ten years as a commissioner on the Boise Parks and Recreation Board, as a Scoutmaster, Varsity Scout Advisor, and Explorer Post advisor for the Boy Scouts of America, a board member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, a board member of Drug Free Idaho, a board member of Drug Watch International, an associate editor of The Marijuana Report, and an adjunct professor in the Criminal Justice Department of Boise State University.
In 2011, Monte left government service in order to devote all of his time to teaching. He is now a frequent keynote speaker and trainer at national, regional, and state conferences relating to drug policy, law enforcement, youth leadership, drug prevention, corporate training, and maintaining safe communities. He is particularly focused on national policies that impact youth substance abuse. His two most-requested keynote addresses are entitled “Rediscovering Joy” (which contrasts his experiences in drug enforcement with his passion for outdoor photography) and “Why Education Works.” Both are designed to provide powerful and unique messages of hope and inspiration.
In addition to speaking, Monte does consulting work for community drug coalitions and law enforcement agencies. In 2015, Monte was hired as a Legal Consultant/Counter Narcotics advisor for the TruNarc division of Thermo Scientific. TruNarc is a hand-held narcotics analyzer that identifies drugs using laser technology (Raman spectroscopy). Monte and his wife Sandi live in Boise, Idaho. They are the proud parents of five children and ten grandchildren.