When violent and dangerous criminals target Charlotte, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives makes catching them their No. 1 priority.
Agents call those cases Frontline investigations and Channel 9 learned many involve crimes Eyewitness News has covered.
The ATF said the case involving Fathia Anna Davis was one of them.
She was arrested in March after investigators said the Mecklenburg school nurse supervisor tried to hire someone to kill her husband, and it wasn't the first time.
ATF Special Agent in Charge Wayne Dixie said the bureau took the case because it involved a gun.
"That's why it was a priority for us," said Dixie. "When a person wants to commit a murder."
In 2013, Channel 9 covered Robert Jolly Rinehardt's crime spree involving the robbery of an AT&T technician and the Freedom Animal Hospital.
Rinehardt kidnapped the vet, driving her to an ATM after he held the receptionist at gunpoint.
The receptionist told Eyewitness News by phone Friday, it still takes a toll on her.
"I remember every, every bit of it. Even up to the way he smelled when he was holding me head locked," she said.
Dixie said cracking Frontline cases often means tracking guns and tracing who is selling and buying them.
Agents also work in disguise.
"We have a number of agents working under cover," said Dixie. "We do that to gather intelligence and the other part is to gather evidence."
Through work like that, agents conducted an operation called Heartbreak Hotel.
They targeted violence near Sugar Creek and Interstate 85.
During the 84-day operation, they arrested 22 people, including suspected gang members.
Agents call those cases Frontline investigations and Channel 9 learned many involve crimes Eyewitness News has covered.
The ATF said the case involving Fathia Anna Davis was one of them.
She was arrested in March after investigators said the Mecklenburg school nurse supervisor tried to hire someone to kill her husband, and it wasn't the first time.
ATF Special Agent in Charge Wayne Dixie said the bureau took the case because it involved a gun.
"That's why it was a priority for us," said Dixie. "When a person wants to commit a murder."
In 2013, Channel 9 covered Robert Jolly Rinehardt's crime spree involving the robbery of an AT&T technician and the Freedom Animal Hospital.
Rinehardt kidnapped the vet, driving her to an ATM after he held the receptionist at gunpoint.
The receptionist told Eyewitness News by phone Friday, it still takes a toll on her.
"I remember every, every bit of it. Even up to the way he smelled when he was holding me head locked," she said.
Dixie said cracking Frontline cases often means tracking guns and tracing who is selling and buying them.
Agents also work in disguise.
"We have a number of agents working under cover," said Dixie. "We do that to gather intelligence and the other part is to gather evidence."
Through work like that, agents conducted an operation called Heartbreak Hotel.
They targeted violence near Sugar Creek and Interstate 85.
During the 84-day operation, they arrested 22 people, including suspected gang members.
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