Tuesday | 12/9/2025
**All Courses will be held in Pine Room, unless otherwise noted**
"Fires, Fraud, Felonies, and Frosting" | 8:15 - 9:45 AM
Description:
The Refuge A case study of a church fire in Detroit Lakes MN, where a man with the munchies and sticky fingers found himself in the hot seat. This case will discuss the importance of relationships with law enforcement agencies throughout MN and the state fire marshal’s office working together from the time of a fire through prosecution. The success of this case involved everything from old fashioned police work to complex financial and digital evidence.
Presenters:
Andrea Bexell, CFI Deputy State Fire Marshal Investigator/External Training Coordinator
Andrea started with the State Fire Marshal Division in 2009, and has been investigating fires since then. She has also held additional and varied careers prior and during her tenure with the state as a 911 dispatcher, paid-on-call firefighter, EMT, and state certified emergency manager. She holds one certificate in Emergency Management and two college degrees in Fire Science and Fire Administration; and is one of less than 2000 Certified Fire Investigators (through the International Association of Arson Investigators) in the world.
Special Agent Steve Kritzeck Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Steve Kritzeck began his law enforcement career in 1995 after attending Alexandria Technical College and St. Cloud State University. He worked for the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office for 18 years, assigned to the criminal investigations division as a narcotics investigator and general detective. In 2013, he was hired by the MN Commerce Fraud Bureau to work as a Special Agent, where he worked until February of this year, when he became a Special Agent with the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, assigned to the Financial Crimes and Fraud Section. Steve has an extensive history of investigating both state and federal complex crimes.
"Proving a Homicide with only Circumstantial Evidence; Investigative Strategies in Rural Communities" | 10:00 - 11:30 AM
Description:
Investigating and prosecuting homicide cases have always been difficult. In recent years with the advancements in technology and science, investigators are aided with more evidence that support a successful prosecution. However, what happens when that evidence doesn’t exist and your case is only circumstantial? In this case study, we will discuss investigation strategies on assisting a prosecution case where we rely on circumstantial evidence to prove guilt.
Presenters:
Imran Ali
Ali is a Minnesota attorney and shareholder with Eckberg Lammers and the Executive Director of Training, Consulting, and Investigation Services (LETAC). As a career long trial lawyer, he also focuses his practice on Complex Litigation, Prosecution and Law Enforcement Training. Imran also serves as General Counsel for the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, Senior Advisor for the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, Communication Specialist for the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association and Senior Advisor for the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association.
Imran Ali is a Senior Consultant with Public Safety Strategies Group, LLC (PSSG) a national consulting firm providing subject matter expertise and services for public agencies and private firms across the United States. Imran works with Executive-level leaders from small agencies to Fortune 500 Companies providing PSSG’s clients with a broad portfolio of services: organizational and leadership ip studies and guidance, staffing, strategic planning, leveraging and developing technology, enterprise security, and relationship development. Imran has been a trial attorney for the past 20 years. His extensive experience is recognized both in the courtroom and the community. Working extensively with victims of crime has provided Imran with the passion needed to succeed in the courtroom. He has handled some of the most complex cases, including homicide, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Imran has spent much of his career training those employed within the criminal justice profession. From training new judges in the State of Minnesota at the University of Minnesota law school, to teaching law students at the Mitchell Hamline Law School, Imran enjoys engaging individuals as they chart their career path. Through this he has had the opportunity to train thousands of law enforcement professionals and prosecutors all over the country. As the Executive Director of LETAC, his team empowers participants in serving their communities with honor and integrity while being equipped with the appropriate tools in decision-making. Imran is nationally and locally recognized for his work, receiving the Minnesota Attorney of the Year in both 2016 and 2020. He has also received other accolades within the state and area communities.
"Miami Dade SO - AI: Criminal Tradecraft & Investigations" | 2:45 - 3:30 PM
Description:
In this presentation, Lt. Jorda Fried of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office will break down how AI is reshaping crime, investigations, and digital forensics in ways most people still don’t fully understand. He will cover how deepfakes, voice cloning, and synthetic content are already being weaponized to defraud victims, spread disinformation, and overwhelm traditional verification methods. Lt. Fried will show how AI is supercharging cybercrime through tools like WormGPT and FraudGPT, giving low-skill criminals high-end capabilities. Finally, we'll look ahead at autonomous weapons, robotics, and national-security impacts, making it clear that law enforcement must understand and prepare for these threats now, not after they’re already out of control.
Presenter:
Jordan Fried is a Lieutenant with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, where he plays a key role in the Cyber Crimes Bureau and the South Florida Cyber Crime Task Force, which is one of the largest task forces of its kind in the United States. He focuses on complex investigations involving ransomware, network intrusions, cryptocurrency fraud, and critical infrastructure cyber threats.
A recognized subject matter expert in penetration testing and cybercrime investigations, he works closely with federal partners including the United States Secret Service (USSS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He actively contributes to cybersecurity and operational partnerships that strengthen law enforcement capabilities across jurisdictions.
Jordan regularly engages in policy discussions and operational briefings focused on emerging cyber threats, critical infrastructure protection, and major event security planning, including support for FIFA World Cup 2026 operations.
He is also involved in advancing cyber training initiatives that build investigative and operational capacity for the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.
"Miami Dade SO - AI: Criminal Tradecraft & Investigations" | 3:45 - 4:30 PM
Description:
In this presentation, Lt. Jorda Fried of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office will break down how AI is reshaping crime, investigations, and digital forensics in ways most people still don’t fully understand. He will cover how deepfakes, voice cloning, and synthetic content are already being weaponized to defraud victims, spread disinformation, and overwhelm traditional verification methods. Lt. Fried will show how AI is supercharging cybercrime through tools like WormGPT and FraudGPT, giving low-skill criminals high-end capabilities. Finally, we'll look ahead at autonomous weapons, robotics, and national-security impacts, making it clear that law enforcement must understand and prepare for these threats now, not after they’re already out of control.
Presenter:
Jordan Fried is a Lieutenant with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, where he plays a key role in the Cyber Crimes Bureau and the South Florida Cyber Crime Task Force, which is one of the largest task forces of its kind in the United States. He focuses on complex investigations involving ransomware, network intrusions, cryptocurrency fraud, and critical infrastructure cyber threats.
A recognized subject matter expert in penetration testing and cybercrime investigations, he works closely with federal partners including the United States Secret Service (USSS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He actively contributes to cybersecurity and operational partnerships that strengthen law enforcement capabilities across jurisdictions.
Jordan regularly engages in policy discussions and operational briefings focused on emerging cyber threats, critical infrastructure protection, and major event security planning, including support for FIFA World Cup 2026 operations.
He is also involved in advancing cyber training initiatives that build investigative and operational capacity for the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office.
Last updated