Finally I Am Vindicated; A Movie About Paul Lir Alexander Will Be Made

Permut, Serenity to produce 'Badge'

Project's based on true story of undercover New Jersey cop

By DAVE MCNARY

MORE ARTICLES: Chinese box office more than doubles Producers honored by French Academy Pair join 'Cancer' cast Frieda Pinto summoned by 'Gods' Warner bringing Emily Post to bigscreen Hill, Green set for 'The Sitter' MOST VIEWED: Advertisers fund another movie(3302 views) Odeon threatens 'Alice' boycott(2553 views) Pilot season getting mojo back(2049 views) Lionsgate closes in on 'Abduction'(1579 views) 50 Cent runs with ball(1053 views) Auds flutter to 'Shutter' at box office(1025 views)

David Permut ("Youth in Revolt") and Christie Hsiao's Serenity Entertainment have snagged rights to "Without a Badge," based on the story of a young New Jersey cop who went undercover into the world of international drug trafficking.

Permut Presentations will produce and Hsiao will co-produce alongside Permut VP Steve Longi.

"Without a Badge," penned by Jerry Speziale and Mark Seal, centers on Speziale's work as a member of the DEA's Group 93, founded in 1990 to fight the Colombian drug cartels. Speziale took the identity of "Geraldo Bartone" and teamed with a mysterious informant to apprehend some of the world's most dangerous criminals.

Speziale is currently sheriff of Passaic County, N.J., and an expert on cell phone and wiretapping technology who lectures at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va.