Billy Queen returns in part 2 of this two-part series, to share what it cost to live undercover when the danger didn’t come in short bursts, but followed him every hour of every day. As a longtime ATF agent embedded deep inside the Mongols, Billy describes moments where a single wrong move could’ve ended his life. This conversation matters because it exposes the personal toll of long-term undercover work, especially the lines that get blurred between duty, identity, and survival.

Episode Highlights

• [00:00] Billy picks up the story with a weapons “qualification” that turns into a test of trust and fear
• [04:50] The physical and psychological abuse of prospecting inside the Mongols
• [08:30] A fellow prospect tries to leave and is forced into a deadly gamble
• [11:55] Living with the constant threat of being exposed and killed
• [14:41] Orders to commit violence and where Billy draws his personal line
• [22:01] Losing contact with family while maintaining his undercover role
• [24:44] Grief, loyalty, and the emotional pull of brotherhood
• [28:20] Parallels between combat, law enforcement, and outlaw gangs
• [31:14] A moment that forces Billy back to his true identity
• [34:33] Witness protection and being separated from his children
• [37:29] The limits of traditional mental health support for undercover agents
• [42:56] Moments that nearly broke him and how he coped in isolation
• [45:14] Realizing the consequences of a life spent undercover
• [52:08] Lessons learned and why this kind of operation shouldn’t happen again
• [53:08] Billy reflects on who he is today and what still drives him

Links & Resources

• Under and Alone by Billy Queen: https://a.co/d/06QaUd4r
• North Carolina Gang Investigators Association: https://www.ncgia.org/
• UNC Greensboro Digital Media Center: https://uncg.libguides.com/dmc
• North Carolina Center for Safer Communities: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/district-operations/center-safer-schools
• Follow Behind the Thin Blue Line for more stories like this one!

Join the Conversation

Have a question or topic you’d like explored on the show? Know someone whose story belongs Behind the Thin Blue Line?

Share this episode with someone interested in real-world law enforcement stories

Contact us: mbridgeman@behindthethinblueline.org

Listener Advisory

This episode includes discussions of real-world violence, criminal activity, and emotionally intense subject matter. Listener discretion is advised.

For the first episode of Behind the Thin Blue Line, I’m joined by retired ATF Special Agent Billy Queen. Billy spent years working deep undercover inside outlaw motorcycle gangs, earning trust through presence, restraint, and reputation. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, he begins unpacking how those early steps unfolded, what it took to establish credibility from the inside, and why some undercover assignments leave no room for hesitation or second guesses.

Episode Highlights

• [00:01:40] Billy’s journey from Vietnam veteran to federal agent
• [00:05:00] Why long-term undercover work inside motorcycle gangs operates differently
• [00:08:00] Why the Mongols gang became a priority for federal investigators
• [00:10:45] Early steps toward embedding inside the organization
• [00:15:10] How trust forms without forced conversations
• [00:18:45] The transition from hang-around to prospect
• [00:23:00] Managing a second identity under constant scrutiny
• [00:36:00] A confrontation that reshaped Billy’s standing inside the club
• [00:40:30] The physical and psychological toll of constant prospecting
• [00:44:15] How violence was normalized inside daily club life
• [00:48:00] The pressure to prove loyalty without asking questions
• [00:52:30] What Billy knew was coming as the operation deepened

Links & Resources

• Under and Alone by Billy Queen: https://a.co/d/06QaUd4r
• North Carolina Gang Investigators Association: https://www.ncgia.org/
• UNC Greensboro Digital Media Center: https://uncg.libguides.com/dmc
• North Carolina Center for Safer Communities: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/district-operations/center-safer-schools
• Follow Behind the Thin Blue Line for Part 2 of this conversation

Join the Conversation

Have a question or topic you’d like explored on the show? Know someone whose story belongs Behind the Thin Blue Line?

Share this episode with someone interested in real-world law enforcement stories

Contact us: mbridgeman@behindthethinblueline.org

Listener Advisory

This episode includes discussions of real-world violence, criminal activity, and emotionally intense subject matter. Listener discretion is advised.

Behind the Thin Blue Line (BTTBL) is a raw, unfiltered look into the lives, cases, and experiences of those who serve behind the badge. From law enforcement and federal task forces to public safety, military, and those who support the mission, BTTBL gives voice to the stories rarely told outside the locker room or the after-action report.

Each episode goes beyond headlines and statistics, diving into real investigations, hard-earned lessons, career-defining moments, and the human cost of service. Guests drop their challenge coin and tell their story, sharing perspectives on leadership, sacrifice, resilience, and accountability from behind the thin blue line.

This isn’t political. It isn’t scripted.
It’s experience-driven storytelling from people who’ve been there.

If you care about public safety, real-world investigations, or the truth behind the badge, this is your seat at the table.