 In late 1969, Joe Shapiro, an agent for the federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (later to become part of the Drug Enforcement Administration), was assigned to locate an illegal methamphetamine ("meth") production lab believed to be on Whidbey Island in Washington.His investigation led him to Richard Russell and John and Patrick Connolly, the lab's proprietors.On December 7, they met and he represented himself to them as a member of a group which wanted to control meth production and distribution in the region.