Story Summary

Dan “Tito” Davis comes from a town in South Dakota that’s so small everyone knows their neighbor’s cat’s name. But once he got out, he made some noise. While at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, he started manufacturing White Crosses, aka speed, and soon had the Banditos Motorcycle Club distributing ten million pills a week. After serving a nickel, he got into the weed game, but just when he got going, he was set up by a childhood friend. Facing thirty years, Davis slipped into Mexico, not knowing a word of Spanish, which began a thirteen-year odyssey that led him to an underground hideout for a MedellIn cartel, through the jungles of the Darien Gap, the middle of Mumbai’s madness, and much more.

 

Long Outline

What if tomorrow, you had to leave your family, your home, and everything you’ve ever known to become a fugitive in a country where you couldn’t even speak the language? Do you think you’d survive?

Dan “Tito” Davis did. In his real life memoir Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive, written while serving a 10-year prison sentence, he details his shocking story of the 13 years he spent on the run from the United States federal government.

How did it happen? Tito led a quiet albeit colorful life early on in small town South Dakota but that all changed with his introduction into the sale of White Crosses (a form of speed). Tito goes on to a fast paced life at one point selling upwards of ten million pills and making $200,000 profit a week while at the University of Las Vegas using the infamous Banditos Motorcycle Club as distributors; that led to cocaine sales which landed him in jail for a 5-year stint. Once out and looking for something with less risk Tito switched to distributing marijuana, eventually bringing in over $50,000 per week. But when one of Tito’s long time friends was caught and set him up on false charges of selling meth Tito was forced to go on the run or face a 30-year prison sentence.

In one night, he packed what he could, said goodbye to his family, and slipped into Mexico without knowing a word of Spanish.

Tito provides a glimpse into the 13 years of his life spent with the goal of staying alive and out of prison all while living on the periphery of major drug cartels in Colombia and Mexico; crossing the Darien Gap ( the world’s most dangerous jungle passageway on the border of Columbia & Panama), hiding in underground hideouts for the Medillin cartel, sneaking into Germany, getting interrogated in Cuba, time spent in Mumbai, India; and finally building a resort in Venezuela during the rule of anti-American President Hugo Chavez.

From having to enroll in a 3rd grade Mexican public school as a 40-year-old adult to learn Spanish, to witnessing armed cartel hits in the streets of Columbia only a year after the death of Escobar, the years he spent on the run gave him a set of experiences most people would never believe.

And how did it end? Davis was black-bagged (kidnapped by the U.S. since there were no extradition agreements in place) in 2007 in Venezuela where he was building a luxury resort hotel and served 105 months in prison. Released in 2015 Tito now lives in Key West, Florida.

 

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Praise for Gringo

“Sharp and insightful, Conti takes us inside the ultimate fugitive story. You know characters like these exist in the world, but rarely do you get to travel the globe with them.”

~Rob Weiss, producer for “Entourage” and “Ballers”

 

“A fast-paced, thrilling work about navigating the dangerous drug trade.”

~Kirkus

 

“I have worked with and/or written about mob bosses, rock stars, boxing champions, Hollywood big shots, Ivy League intellectuals, and Oscar-winning actors. I can honestly say that no one has lived a more fascinating life than Dan “Tito” Davis.”

~Peter Conti, author

 

 

 

Check Out Some Reviews

5 Stars San Francisco Book Review

4 Stars Manhattan Book Review

4.5 Stars Seattle Book Review




More About the Book

There are few subjects more fascinating than the illicit. Written to accurately reflect dangerous, dark, and captivating worlds that few will ever experience, Gringo (ISBN: 978-1938812842; Full Court Press) is a profound look into the life of a complex outlaw. Providing rich context, the story of Dan “Tito” Davis’ life demands your attention and refuses to relent until the story’s conclusion. Davis’ life is accurately retold with a warranted sense of urgency and energy. Don’t be surprised to catch yourself looking over your own shoulder, expecting to see the federales on your tail.

 

Learn more about Davis and Gringo.

 

About the Author

Dan “Tito” Davis grew up in a family of seven in South Dakota. After years of dealing drugs; time spent in prison; two marriages and a whole lot of living in between Tito was set up on false drug charges by a long time friend. Faced with 30 years in prison for a crime he did not commit Davis went on the run for 13 years avoiding federal law enforcement across multiple countries and continents. Black-bagged in 2007 while living in Venezuela (extradited without an agreement with the country) Tito served 105 months in prison. He was released in 2015 and now lives in Key West, Florida where he is part of the local writer’s guild and enjoys fishing, playing pickleball and bicycling around town.