Longtime Rockville Centre resident and retired FBI Supervisory Special Agent Neil Moran recently returned to the community to discuss his memoir, “Stories,” and recount some of the experiences from nearly three decades working for the FBI.
Moran’s path to becoming an author began after his retirement from the bureau, when he took creative writing classes at the Rockville Centre Public Library and later at the Oceanside Library. The classes encouraged him to put memories of his career and personal life on paper, eventually leading to the memoir.
“Stories” chronicles Moran’s FBI career from the 1970s through 2000 and includes accounts of some of the major investigations in which he was involved, along with stories about his family, Irish heritage and life after leaving the bureau.
Moran discussed those experiences during a 90-minute presentation at the Sandel Senior Center on Aug. 12. He spoke about his career in federal law enforcement and the investigations, assignments and people that became part of his memoir.
Among the cases Moran discussed was the investigation into the disappearance of Etan Patz, the 6-year-old boy who disappeared in 1979 while walking to his school bus stop in Manhattan. The case became one of New York City’s most prominent missing-child investigations.
Moran also worked on the investigation of the Lufthansa heist, one of the largest cash thefts in American history, as well as the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800. His FBI career included investigations into organized crime, bank robberies, terrorist bombings and attempts on the lives of presidents.
Some of his work required him to operate undercover. In one investigation, Moran assumed the role of a tow truck driver and helped operate a junkyard in Brooklyn’s East New York while investigators worked to uncover an auto theft and organized crime operation.
He also shared stories involving NYPD detectives, SWAT operations and informants who played roles in his investigations. His experiences brought him into contact with people from a variety of backgrounds, including an Olympic gold medalist and a former NASA astronaut.
Moran’s career was not without danger. He was awarded the FBI Shield of Bravery for his work during his time with the bureau.
After leaving the FBI, Moran moved into the business world, including serving as a managing director at BDO, before later becoming an educator. His memoir reflects both his professional experiences and the personal stories that shaped him outside of law enforcement.
The writing process provided Moran with a way to preserve those experiences. His creative writing classes at the Rockville Centre and Oceanside libraries helped him develop the material that eventually became “Stories.”
The Sandel Center presentation was part of Moran’s continuing effort to share the memoir with local audiences. He has previously discussed the book at the Rockville Centre Public Library and at other libraries and venues around Long Island.
For Moran, the book offers an account of an FBI career that took him from routine investigative work to some of the region’s most significant criminal and investigative cases, while also documenting the people and experiences he encountered along the way.
