Entertainment Extra

2 TV ENCORE By Cassie Dresch TV Media I t's a story right out of Hollywood. A man, fully immersed in the drug culture of Southern California, deals meth- amphetamine to the tune of more than $500,000 a year. The only direction he's headed is straight to the pen, especially after he's caught in a raid by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Except, the DEA gives him a choice: go to prison for 22 years with no parole or become an undercover informant. While it may seem almost too good to be true, there's no deny- ing that this story didtake place. The born-again informant is none other than Charles Falco, a burly man whose exploits as an undercover operator for the DEA and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in three of the most notoriously danger- ous biker gangs in SoCal are the stuff of legends. In 2013, Falco published a memoir detailing his rise as an undercover agent titled "Vagos, Mongols, and Outlaws: My Infiltration of America's Deadliest Biker Gangs." Now, History has created a six-episode fact-based drama that draws its material from the book and Falco himself. With only one epi- sode left, it's time to hunker down as "Gangland Undercover" brings the chills and the thrills when the season finale airs Tuesday, March 31, on History. Falco is a fascinating man. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Graybeals Carpet 2 x 3" Pear Tree Gallery 3 x 2" Harrison- Metzger 2 x 2" On the Cover he saw his life take a turn for the worse that landed him at rock bottom. After being con- tracted by the ATF to infiltrate the Vagos in 2003 (and later the Mongols and Outlaws), he quickly rose through the ranks of the biker gangs and gathered evidence that led to 62 total arrests. Now, due to the nature of his past efforts, Falco is in the witness protection program. This, however, doesn't stop him from actively being involved in telling his story — spearheading "Gangland," writing for the show and even appearing before each episode. Paulino Nunes ("The Firm," "Bitten") — who plays Schizo, the primary antagonist in "Gangland" and the Vagos pres- ident — says that he first met the real-life Falco when they were shooting in Arizona and was struck by how cool he was. "He's a really super nice guy," he said in the same interview with TV Media. "I know that sounds like a kind of banal thing to say, but ... it's not necessarily what you'd expect. It was really cool meeting him, and it was hard to reconcile the guy you were meeting with the guy in the book and the guy who did all that stuff." "All that stuff" being some truly gruesome acts he had to commit, including beating up rivals, watching Vagos bikers kill rivals and civilians, selling drugs and even going to prison for an assault committed by another Vago, where he had to suffer through solitary confinement in order to avoid blowing his cover. But through it all, Falco remained unwavering in his newfound pursuit of justice. He was given a second shot at life, and he took it. His intelligence shone through with each day that he went deeper undercover, and it's something that was not lost on Nunes or Runyan as they acted out his story. "He's a keen observer of human nature, and he had to be to do what he did," Nunes said. "It was pretty apparent that this was a guy who, if his circum- stances had been different, could have done something very different with his life." These days, Falco has put his active undercover work behind him. He's since earned a gradu- History tackles the true story of undercover informant Charles Falco ate degree in criminal justice and works as an instructor for a national law enforcement train- ing institute, not to mention adding "Gangland" to his resu- mé. Of course, there'll always be a nagging fear for his safety. "I think you always have to fear for your safety," Falco said in an interview with "Los Angeles Magazine." "I have a witness protection program ID that I use. I don't hang out in bars. I don't live in an area where any of these groups live. You've got to always look over your back." Catch the season finale of "Gangland Undercover" Tuesday, March 31, on History. Paulino Nunes in "Gangland Undercover" D&J Liquors 3 x 2" Animal Shop 2 x 2" Corner of 4th & Market ~ Downtown Logansport 574-737-8374 Pear Tree Gallery P Art Classes with Teri Go to www.peartreegallery.com MAROCCO-RANS FUNERAL CHAPEL 119 E. Market St. | Logansport, IN • 574.753.6282 www.ransfuneralhomes.com Offering compassionate services during your most diffi cult time of need. • Funeral & Cremation Services • • Preplanning Options • Monument Sales • Carpet Remnants Room Size Starting At 5th & BROADWAY • DOWNTOWN LOGANSPORT • (574)722-2215 Large Selection of Color, Texture and Sizes $ 59 EAST - 3800 E. Market | WEST - U.S. 24 West | DOWNTOWN - 509 North St. Flavored Vodkas 750 ml. $7.99 Barefoot & Oliver Soft Wines 750 ml. $5.99 Airplane Bottles Huge Assortment! 99 ¢ Natural Ice 30 cans, warm only $13.99 Limited Time!! Natural Light 24 pack cans, warm $11.99 Large Selection of Wine & Spirits T 3800 E M k | WEST U S 24 W | DOWNTOWN 509 N $5.99 $5.99 s, s, The Animal Shop 574-753-8556 5940 N. St. Rd 25, Logansport When You Can't Take Them With You, Bring Them To Us! • Full Shampoo • Full Brush out • Ear Cleaning • Nails • Convenient drop off & pick up Full Grooming Service & Boarding Kennel ONLY boarding kennel open on Sunday

• Cover