Employee Bios
American Investigative Services is proud of our skilled and experienced personnel and investigators. Please contact us at 800.287.6060 to learn more or to hire a specific investigator for your needs today.
Jay Groob
President
Jay Groob, President of American Investigative Services, is considered one of the foremost authorities on investigative techniques in the Northeast. He has provided testimony in both Federal and State Courts on drug and homicide cases, and has been classified as an expert in the field of auto fraud investigation.
Mr. Groob is a graduate of Northeastern University's College of Criminal Justice, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree cum laude. He has been a guest speaker at numerous conferences and seminars, and a lecturer at Boston School of Law and the Criminal Section of the Boston Bar Association.
Mr. Groob has recently retired as Chairman of the Council of International Investigators, an elite organization of private investigators that includes officers from Scotland Yard, the FBI, and Interpol. In recognition of his many years of experience and dedication in the field of investigative services, Mr. Groob received the Council's International Investigator of the Year Award. He was also honored for promoting international investigations and global security at the 30th Anniversary celebration of the Security Association of Singapore.
Mr. Groob is a long-standing member of NALI, INTELLENET NCISS, LPDAM, and IAATI, and is licensed in Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire
Mr. Groob is also a contributing author of "Corporate Investigations Second Edition," an investigative textbook covering the broad range of corporate investigations. Calling upon his years of experience, Mr. Groob authored Chapter 30, sharing his investigative techniques and strategies for conducting both simple and complex Background Investigations.
Mary Ellen McMahon
Research Director
One of our most valued employees for over 12 years, Ms. McMahon has extensive experience in conducting pre-employment, background and asset investigations, which, combined with her exceptional client relations skills, has propelled her to her current position as Research Director. Overseeing a staff of field investigators, Ms. McMahon ensures that accurate results are obtained through in-person research conducted at virtually every courthouse in the Commonwealth. In addition, her considerable skill in Internet and proprietary database research has proved invaluable to AIS and its clientele. After many years of dedicated service to AIS, Ms. McMahon has recently earned her own Massachusetts Private Investigator's License.
Eli Whitney
Executive Administrator
Eli Whitney has been a valued member of the AIS team since 1996, after over twenty years' experience as a legal administrator. Whether analyzing documentary evidence in criminal defense matters or conducting exhaustive due diligence for corporate investigations, Eli's strong work ethic leaves no stone unturned. Extremely organized and analytical, her unique perspective has been instrumental in developing investigative strategies for a wide variety of clients and presenting our findings in a manner tailored to the client's specific needs. Also adept at undercover assignments, Eli has successfully obtained critical evidence in a number of challenging cases.
Paul Toomey
Senior Staff Investigator
Paul Toomey brings over two decades of investigative reporting experience to AIS, and was the producer of the I-Team at WBZ-TV, the CBS affiliate in Boston, for 18 years. Before joining WBZ, Paul was producer for the Channel 7 Newsbreakers investigative unit in Boston. Throughout his career, Paul has been instrumental in exposing cases of public corruption, government waste, medical malpractice, and healthcare abuse, as well as consumer, insurance, bankruptcy, charity and Worker’s Compensation fraud.
Mr. Toomey has received numerous career awards, including local Emmys and Associated Press citations, and recently received the Silver Circle award from the New England Chapter of the National Television Academy for over 25 years of contributions to the television industry. In 1996 he received a Boston Magazine, Best Report award.
With extensive experience as a reporter, editor, producer, and assignments manager for both broadcast and print media, Paul is a uniquely qualified addition to the AIS roster. He is a graduate of Northeastern University and was trained in computer assisted reporting as a member of the National Investigative Reporters and Editors organization.
Charles Haskell
Senior Staff Investigator
Mr. Haskell joined AIS in 2005, bringing 15 years of investigative experience and an impressive background in testifying before the State of Massachusetts HRD Workers Compensation Section, several Divisions of Unemployment, and the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents. His testimony has been instrumental in resolving a number of domestic issues in District Court jurisdictions as well.
Throughout the years, Mr. Haskell has cultivated sources and developed extensive knowledge of the South Shore area, enabling him to pursue avenues of investigation not readily accessible through ordinary investigative techniques, and has personally conducted field investigations throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He is a member in good standing of the Licensed Private Detectives Association of Massachusetts, and a most welcome addition to the AIS team.
Matthew Watstein
Staff Investigator
Matthew Watstein, a recent graduate of Northeastern University’s College of Criminal Justice, brings a fresh perspective and understanding of the criminal justice system to AIS. Prior to and while acquiring his degree, Mr. Watstein garnered several years' experience in field investigations, security, and loss prevention. AIS is fortunate to have added Mr. Watstein to an already impressive roster of investigative specialists.
Deborah van Rooyen
International Investigations Specialist
Deborah van Rooyen has worked in the international investigative field for over 30 years, with cases ranging from child abduction recovery to the reuniting of WWII wartime lovers after 60 years. Utilizing her strong global network of intelligence professionals, private investigators, embassy and consulate officials, Interpol, and legal counsel, as well as her ability to speak five languages, Deborah has an impressive record of successful and positive outcomes. Her cases have taken her to South Africa, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, the Netherlands, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey, Great Britain, France, Monaco, Spain and Scandinavia, Poland and Russia.
Anthony Crespi
Staff Investigator
Staff Investigator Anthony Crespi joined AIS in early 2007, after receiving his Professional Investigation Certification from Boston University. Prior to joining AIS, he spent four years as Account Coordinator for a national company. He brings a wealth of experience in client services to the AIS team.
Jerry Palace
Vice President NY Office
Jerry Palace is a retired New York City Police Detective. Starting as a beat cop in New York’s notorious South Bronx, he then climbed the ranks to the anti-crime unit, and soon became a crime scene investigator. From there, enjoying his career as a seasoned cop, Jerry moved into the Narcotics Division responsible for putting away his fair share of major drug dealers. Never being one to turn down a challenge Jerry took his street expertise, and moved on to The Bronx Robbery Squad, investigating robbery, and murder cases that included the arrest, and convictions of New York’s most brazen crime figures. Jerry’s career has touched all areas of modern crime fighting along with a solid street wise investigative skill. Throughout his career as a New York City Police Detective, Jerry has received his share of Police Commendations.
Tom Duno
New York Office
Biography coming soon
Reuven Kahane
Associate Director
Biography coming soon
Conrad Coye
Security Specialist
Conrad Coye has over twenty years of professional experience in law enforcement, security, private investigations, and anti-terrorism preparedness. His qualifications include certification in terrorism preparedness from the Office of Emergency Management Service in Massachusetts (O.E.M.S. Cert #226261), training in firearms, and hand-to-hand combat, including Tae Kwon Do and kickboxing. Mr. Coye was educated at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, where he lettered in football each year.
Mr. Coye’s accomplishments include successfully brokering government securities in the New York area, and he has also been outstanding as a fugitive bail bond agent. Mr. Coye managed a team of eight to ten agents who collected between five and ten million dollars in bonds annually, as well as apprehended over five hundred felons and bail jumpers throughout North America. Mr. Coye continues to combine these strengths when he is retained as either a personal protection or investigative professional.
Mr. Coye has provided personal protection and secure transport for an elite clientele of film stars, musicians, and professional athletes. He previously was a professional athlete, having played football in both the National Football League and the Canadian Football League.
Mr. Coye's expertise in surveillance, extensive experience, and ability to obtain intelligence under the most difficult circumstances makes him an ideal field agent.
Fran Nehiley
Fran Nehiley has been a Massachusetts Licenced Private Investigator since 1976 with experience handling investigations since 1968. Fran brings 35 years of experience in retail security and purchasing agent fraud investigation to the AIS team, as well as 30 years experience as an interrogator, gifted at handling the most sensitive and difficult interviews.
Nilson Melo
Portuguese & Spanish Language Investigator
José-Nilson A. Melo is a native Brazilian who has lived in the US since 1996. In his native country, Mr. Melo earned his degree in philosophy, studied psychology, and was a middle school teacher for four years. Mr. Melo has continued his education by studying Greek literature and Latin language at Harvard University . Fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, Nilson Melo brings his extensive skills and experience as translator, interpreter, and investigator to meet our client's unique needs.
William Kelley
William H. Kelley, Jr. served with distinction in the Boston Police Department for 37 years, half that time as Detective Sergeant with more than 50 officers under his command. He was an integral member of Boston Police Department's specialized units, including auto theft, sting operations, homicide and drug investigations. He commanded the Missing Persons and Warrant divisions of the BPD, and was responsible for updating the department's identification records.
Under retired Boston Police Commander Ed McNeley, who was head of security for the Democratic National Convention in Boston in 2004, Mr. Kelley commanded the equipment security division throughout the course of the convention. In addition, Mr. Kelley held a high-level security position during the Biotech convention held in Boston in 2000.
During his service with the BPD, Mr. Kelley worked closely with ATF officials conducting a major arson investigation in the 1980's involving over 300 fires. As a result of his exemplary work on that assignment, Mr. Kelley was one of only four recipients outside the ATF to be honored with their highest award for outstanding achievement.
Since retiring from active duty, Mr. Kelley has been utilizing his extensive experience to provide security consultation, threat assessment, and executive and personal protection services in the private sector. He has been a valued employee of American Investigative Services, Inc. for over ten years.
Boston: One University Rd., Brookline, MA 02445
email: info@americanlnvestigative.com
phone: 1 - 800 - 287 - 6060 | 1 - 617 - 739 - 6060
