J. J. Ballesteros is a 1977 graduate of the University of Texas with a degree in history. He began his thirty-four-year law enforcement career as a Texas Highway Patrolman prior to joining the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms where he served for the next twenty-nine years, specializing in international weapons trafficking to drug traffickers and leftist guerrillas. He was significantly involved in both the Colombian and Mexican drug wars. He has lived, worked, and travelled extensively in the Americas. His novels reflect his experience and intimate knowledge of weapons and drug trafficking. His published works include the Run for the Devil Trilogy: Run for the Devil (June 2017),  The Moonlight Runner (April 2019), and The Ghosts of Punta Morro (August 2020).