Prior to founding Essential Investigative Services, Carl "Mike" Pitts served honorably as a former deputy sheriff with the Alachua County Sheriff's Office located in Gainesville, Florida. Mike has extensive experience in video surveillance, background investigation, child custody cases, and criminal defense cases. He also serves proudly as a Christian, husband, father, and friend to all.

​

Essential Investigative Services is founded on Mike's passion for civil and criminal investigative services and exposing human trafficking throughout the State of Florida. He collaborates continuously with attorneys, local and state agencies, law enforcement, and other various investigative agencies to gather evidence and crack the case. 

​

As a Private Investigator, Mike's education and experience were developed through the police academy, continuing education programs in law enforcement, and hands on learning through CSI Academy of Florida. His completed training includes Private Investigation, Introduction to Crime Scene Investigation, Advanced Introduction to Crime Scene Investigation, Mass Fatality Management, Arson Investigation, Shooting Incident Reconstruction, Blood Stain Pattern Analysis, Crime Scene Photography, and Latent Print. 

​

Mike holds his Private Investigator (C) and Agency license (A). His expertise allows him to serve as a lecturer for CSI Academy of Florida Private Investigation (40 hour course & Intro to Crime Scene Investigation), serve as Vice President of Bringing Them Home Project (BTHP) Task Force of Florida, a volunteer for the Anti-Predator Project, and a State of Florida Notary.

​

Mike is an active member of the National Association of Legal Investigators and International Association of Human Trafficking Investigators.