Michael Reiter
Michael Reiter was Chief of the Palm Beach Police Department during the Epstein investigation from 2005 onward. His role was supervisory: Detective Recarey conducted the day-to-day investigation, while Reiter made the institutional decisions about how to pursue it.
The Federal Referral Decision
In what became one of the most notable aspects of the early case history, Chief Reiter made the decision to refer the Epstein case to the FBI and federal prosecutors when he became concerned that the state-level prosecution under Barry Krischer would not result in adequate charges.
Why Federal Referral Mattered
Federal sex trafficking charges carried vastly greater potential sentences than state charges. By bringing in the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office, Reiter was attempting to ensure the case was prosecuted at the level the evidence justified.
Subsequent History
Despite Reiter’s appropriate escalation, the federal prosecution still produced the controversial 2008 NPA. The failure was at the federal level, not at the Palm Beach police level.
Legacy
Reiter’s decision to go federal when state prosecution seemed inadequate has been cited as an example of appropriate institutional behavior following the evidence regardless of who the target was.