Charles is a seasoned law enforcement professional with more than 25 years of combined military and policing experience. He served 6½ years in the U.S. Army before being honorably discharged and later graduated from the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in 1999.
During his law enforcement career, Charles served as a patrol officer before being selected for a regional SWAT team through a competitive selection process. He served as a SWAT team member, Assistant Team Leader, and acting Team Leader during high-risk tactical operations.
Charles was later promoted to detective and assigned to a street-level narcotics unit, where he conducted undercover narcotics investigations, developed confidential informants, and participated in undercover drug purchases. In March 2010, he was subsequently assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Task Force Officer, serving in that capacity until his retirement in November 2025.
During his DEA assignment, Charles developed extensive expertise in physical and electronic surveillance, counter-surveillance, covert recording devices, cell-site technology, money laundering investigations, and complex narcotics cases. His investigations contributed to state and federal arrests, convictions, and the seizure of millions of dollars in U.S. currency and drug-trafficking-related assets.