At a Christian business luncheon in Miami, retired DEA Special Agent Omar Aleman shared how one of the most extraordinary assignments of his federal career became a defining moment in his walk with Jesus Christ.

Promotions, recognition, and accomplishments measure some careers. Others are remembered for the lives they touch.

For Omar Aleman, a retired Drug Enforcement Administration special agent whose career spanned more than three decades, the most significant transformation in his life did not come from capturing a notorious international figure. It came from discovering what it truly meant to surrender his life to Christ.

Speaking at the Christian Business Men’s Connection (CBMC) West Dade Luncheon on October 29, 2026, at Miami’s 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant, Aleman reflected on his law enforcement career, his encounter with Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, the personal cost of his convictions, and the lessons that continue to shape his approach to business, generosity, and Christian service.

A Career Built on Courage and International Service

Born and raised in Cuba, Aleman immigrated to the United States, graduated from high school in Key West, and earned a criminology degree from Florida State University in 1970.

He subsequently joined the DEA, serving for 32 years in assignments involving undercover investigations, international intelligence, drug enforcement, training, and public relations.

His career took him from Miami to Mexico City, Caracas, and El Paso. After retiring in 2003, he founded Aleman & Associates, providing consulting and training services.

Yet behind the professional achievements was a spiritual struggle that Aleman would eventually describe with remarkable openness.

He had embraced Christianity in the early 1980s, but for years he remained reluctant to share his faith publicly. He described himself as an undercover Christian, someone comfortable practicing his faith privately but hesitant to make it known professionally.

That changed dramatically in Panama.

The Encounter with Manuel Noriega That Changed Everything

In December 1989, the United States invaded Panama during Operation Just Cause, an intervention that ultimately led to the surrender and arrest of Manuel Noriega.

Aleman recounted being called upon because of his familiarity with Panama and his experience in federal law enforcement.

What followed would become one of the most consequential experiences of his life.

During Noriega’s transfer into U.S. custody in January 1990, Aleman recalled sitting beside the handcuffed former dictator aboard a military aircraft.

The circumstances were extraordinary. One man had been the leader of a nation. The other had dedicated his career to enforcing the law.

But Aleman began seeing the encounter through a different lens.

Noriega was a prisoner of the American justice system. Aleman realized that, despite professing Christianity, he had allowed fear to keep him from openly sharing his faith.

He described an approximately three-and-a-half-hour conversation in which he discussed Scripture with Noriega, including the contrasting biblical examples of King Saul and King David.

The conversation turned toward leadership, accountability, sin, repentance, and the need for forgiveness.

Rather than treating the encounter solely as a law enforcement assignment, Aleman saw an opportunity to share his Christian testimony.

It was a turning point.

In a previously recorded interview, Aleman explained that sharing his testimony with Noriega helped remove his fear of speaking publicly about Jesus. If he could share his faith in such an extraordinary international situation, he could share it anywhere.

When Faith Comes with a Professional Price

Aleman’s decision to place his convictions above professional expectations was not without consequences.

During the luncheon, he described later becoming involved in Noriega’s legal proceedings, including testifying for the defense rather than the prosecution.

He also recounted facing professional repercussions, including an approximately ten-month suspension.

For someone whose identity had been closely tied to federal service, professional credibility, and public responsibility, the experience was deeply challenging.

The circumstances tested not only his career but also his trust in God.

It is easy to speak about faith when life is going well. Faith takes on a different meaning when convictions threaten reputation, security, and relationships.

For Aleman, the experience became another chapter in his spiritual development.

His circumstances had changed. His commitment to Christ would have to remain.

The Unexpected Lesson of Forgiveness

Among the most moving parts of the luncheon was Aleman’s account of learning to forgive someone he believed had seriously wronged him.

He described driving through South Florida shortly after his suspension, overwhelmed by frustration and resentment.

His initial reaction was to ask God to deal harshly with the person responsible for his suffering.

Then something changed.

As he reflected on his own life, his shortcomings, and the forgiveness he believed he had received through Jesus Christ, Aleman began reconsidering his anger.

Instead of asking God to punish the other person, he began praying for mercy.

That moment helped him understand forgiveness not merely as a religious instruction but as a personal responsibility.

The message resonated with the biblical teaching of Romans 8:28, which reminds believers that God works through circumstances for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

For business owners and professionals, the lesson extends beyond personal relationships. Betrayals, disputes, disappointments, and professional setbacks can leave lasting wounds.

Aleman’s testimony challenges listeners to consider whether genuine freedom comes not from winning every battle but from releasing resentment and allowing God to transform the heart.

From a Federal Agent to Jesus & Associates

Retirement did not mark the end of Aleman’s professional activity or his desire to serve.

He continued speaking, consulting, teaching, and participating in Christian organizations.

But his understanding of work underwent a significant transformation.

He began describing his new spiritual assignment as working for Jesus & Associates.

The premise was simple yet profound: Christians may have employers, clients, business partners, or companies, but their ultimate accountability is to Jesus Christ.

Aleman applied this principle directly to the business professionals attending the luncheon.

What would change if they approached every workday believing that Jesus was their ultimate employer?

Would they negotiate differently? Treat customers differently? Manage employees with greater compassion? Make decisions with greater integrity?

For Aleman, Christian ministry was no longer something confined to Sunday mornings or church activities. Every professional relationship became an opportunity for service.

His perspective was reinforced through his involvement in leadership development, ministry, education, and charitable organizations.

Life Insurance, Death Insurance, and the Question of Eternity

Aleman also shared an analogy drawn from the insurance industry.

Traditional life insurance provides financial protection for beneficiaries after a person’s death.

He challenged listeners to think about another kind of security: their eternal destination.

Using the memorable concept of death insurance, Aleman explained that the greatest assurance he could help others discover was not a financial product but the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ.

His message was not that business or financial planning lacked importance.

Rather, he challenged his audience to consider whether they devoted as much attention to their eternal future as they did to their financial security.

The question was simple: What happens after this life?

For Aleman, the answer is found in his relationship with Jesus Christ.

Generosity: Understanding That Everything Belongs to God

Another recurring theme was financial stewardship.

Aleman spoke about how he and his wife, Julianne, approach their resources with a desire to support Christian ministries and charitable causes.

He discussed the example of a Christian philanthropist who committed to increasing his charitable giving by one percentage point each year.

The principle demonstrated how generosity could grow through intentional, consistent decisions.

Rather than waiting until someone becomes wealthy to start giving, the approach encourages developing generosity as a lifelong discipline.

Aleman reflected on how he and Julianne have experienced God’s provision as they have continued supporting Kingdom-focused work.

Their story was a reminder that financial success can be viewed not only as something to accumulate but also as an opportunity to help others.

Delayed Gratification: Learning to Wait on God’s Timing

The discussion turned to another important principle: delayed gratification.

In a culture accustomed to immediate results, instant purchases, and constant convenience, Aleman challenged Christian business leaders to rediscover the value of patience.

He used a personal story involving an item he had wanted and waited months to obtain. Its importance was not simply the possession itself, but the discipline learned through waiting.

The broader lesson was particularly relevant to entrepreneurs and professionals.

Businesses often require years of sacrifice before they produce meaningful results. Relationships take time to develop. Character grows through testing. Spiritual maturity cannot be purchased or rushed.

Aleman pointed to Jesus’ years of preparation before beginning His public ministry as a model of patience and purpose.

The Christian life, he suggested, requires learning the difference between what we want immediately and what God knows we truly need.

Waiting is not necessarily wasted time.

Sometimes it is the season in which God prepares a person for the responsibility that comes next.

Using Professional Talents for God’s Kingdom

Throughout the luncheon, the interviewer emphasized that business professionals possess abilities that can have a powerful impact beyond their industries.

Communication, relationship-building, management, sales, leadership, and financial stewardship are not merely commercial skills.

They can become instruments of service.

A talented salesperson can become an effective communicator of faith. An experienced manager can mentor younger professionals. A business owner can create opportunities for employees and families. A consultant can help nonprofit organizations operate more effectively.

The conversation challenged attendees to reconsider what professional success means.

The measure of a career is not necessarily how much a person earns, how many people they supervise, or how impressive their accomplishments appear.

There is also the question of what they have done with the opportunities entrusted to them.

Aleman’s own journey illustrated that professional experience can become preparation for an entirely different calling.

His federal career had taught him discipline, communication, courage, investigation, and leadership.

Those same abilities eventually helped him communicate his Christian testimony to audiences far removed from the world of federal law enforcement.

A Life of Service That Continues

Aleman’s commitment to serving others extends into education, nonprofit leadership, and Christian ministry.

His background includes teaching roles at Florida International University and Trinity International University, service with Christian organizations, and involvement with grief-support ministry.

He has also contributed to Christian publications, sharing reflections on faith, failure, personal responsibility, and spiritual growth.

Together with Julianne, he continues supporting causes that reflect their shared Christian values.

His message to the business community is both challenging and encouraging: professional success and spiritual purpose need not compete.

When approached with humility and intentionality, the workplace itself can become a place of ministry.

A Closing Reflection: What Are We Really Working For?

The most memorable part of Omar Aleman’s story may not be his involvement in an internationally significant arrest.

It may be his willingness to admit that, despite his achievements, he still had important lessons to learn about courage, forgiveness, obedience, and surrender.

His journey reminds us that no professional title places someone beyond the need for spiritual growth.

A federal agent can learn humility. A successful businessman can learn generosity. A respected leader can learn forgiveness. And someone approaching retirement can discover that God’s next assignment is only beginning.

At the heart of Aleman’s testimony is a question every Christian professional can carry into the workplace:

If Jesus is truly the one we work for, does the way we conduct our business reflect that relationship?

For Omar Aleman, that question has helped redefine an extraordinary career into an ongoing mission of service.

And perhaps that is the greatest success of all.

About the speaker

Omar A. Aleman is a retired DEA special agent and founder of Aleman & Associates. His career included 32 years of federal service, international assignments, and law enforcement training. He remains involved in Christian leadership, education, and charitable organizations. He and his wife, Julianne, support faith-based initiatives in South Florida and beyond.

Editorial note: This feature is based on the October 29, 2026 luncheon transcript, event photographs, and published biographical materials. Omar’s descriptions of his private conversation with Noriega, testimony in court, suspension, and personal spiritual experiences are presented as his own account. The automated transcript contains unclear passages; those details and any exact quotations should be confirmed with Omar before publication.