Police and Prosecutors

This section of the FEAR website deals with news items about police use and abuse of the asset forfeiture laws -- trends in asset seizures, forfeiture fund statistics, police corruption and waste of forfeiture funds.

Last update 5/2/2007

Civil Asset Forfeiture: Why Law Enforcement Has Changed its Motto from "To Serve and Protect" to "Show Me the Money"
by Jared Shoemaker, 31 page study published in the Spring 2007 edition of Justice Policy Journal

Abstract:
Despite its failure to achieve its desired objectives, the War on Drugs continues on into a fourth decade with disastrous effects and extensive collateral damage. The current article explores civil asset forfeiture as one motivation that keeps the current drug policy intact. Specifically, it advances the premise that the current state of civil asset forfeiture law creates goal displacement that motivates law enforcement agencies to implement drug enforcement strategies that aggressively pursue civil asset forfeitures as a means of supplementing their budgets rather than as a legitimate tool for decreasing the supply of illicit drugs. The article explores how this goal displacement not only negatively impacts the progress of the War on Drugs, but also how it leads to disregard for individual due process rights, sometimes with tragic and life-altering consequences for innocent individuals. A brief discussion of the necessary reforms to civil asset forfeiture law is included.

The official annual reports for the U.S. Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund are online at the Department of Justice website.  See
http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/afp/. The Treasury Department's reports are online at   http://www.eoaf.treas.gov/AnnualReports-text.asp.

2004

CALIFORNIA:  Frances Plante-Scott recalls events from 1992 when her husband, Donald Scott,was killed . . ., April 1, 2004 FEAR-List Bulletin

CALIFORNIA: Police raid innocent citizens because of high electric bills, April 1, 2004 FEAR-List Bulletin

A subscriber comments on New Hampshire article re: Merrimack police building gym with forfeiture revenue, March 29, 2004 FEAR-List Bulletin

VA: "Police seize 'drug house'" from innocent buyer, March 25, 2004, link to article

CALIFORNIA: "ALAMEDA COUNTY/Judge pleads no contest to misdemeanor/He may face probe, reassignment," March 20, 2004 FEAR-List Bulletin

"Stealing Private Property With Public Dollars,"  March 19, 2004, link to article on eminent domain takings in NY, Conn., NJ, & PA.

CALIFORNIA: "OAKLAND/Police brass flayed by report/Experts say complaints get low priority," March 17, 2004 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEW HAMPSHIRE:  Merrimack police to build gym with forfeiture revenue, March 15, 2004, link to article

NEW MEXICO: "Man, Never Charged, Sues To Get Money Seized by Cops,"  March 10, 2004 FEAR-List Bulletin, and clipping from an Albuquerque Journal article discusses Jody Neal-Post's constitutional challenge to Albuquerque Police Department's practice of seizing property and keeping it without complying with forfeiture procedures.

FLORIDA:  WHAT a deal - give up your car, don't go to jail!, February 25, 2004, link to article in St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, FL
"This is just another inappropriate use of the state's forfeiture law. ...We don't stipulate seizure as a condition of not being arrested," said Marianne Pasha ...

FLORIDA: Pinellas Woman Offered No Pot Charges in Return for 1968 Buick, February 25, 2004, link to article

TENNESSEE: Ex-police employee guilty, Stole drugs and cash from evidence room,  January 21, 2004, link to article by Chris Conley

ARIZONA: THE BORDER: Smugglers' rides will be crunched: 900 vehicles seized from people traffickers, January 13, 2004 FEAR-List Bulletin, with commentary by Leon Felkins and links to Tucson articles

TEXAS: bulletin about radio show "Racial Bias in the Drug War", January 12, 2004 FEAR-List Bulletin

MONTANA: Marijuana land grab, January 8, 2004 link to article. "Ravalli County authorities arrested a Corvallis man in October following a two-year investigation into his alleged marijuana-growing operation. In addition to seizing more than the felony amount of 50 plants, the sheriff’s office also wants to seize the man’s mother’s property...."

Government Starts eBay-Style Auctions,  January 6, 2004, link to Chicago CBS2 article article about how U.S. Marshal Service on-line auctions sell forfeited property for a song.

2003

Government seizes Internet site, assumes domain name - FEAR Foundation Journal, vol. 1 no. 1 (Fall 2003)

Paypal meets Patriot Act - FEAR Foundation Journal, vol. 1 no. 1 (Fall 2003)

College dorm forfeiture? - FEAR Foundation Journal, vol. 1 no. 1 (Fall 2003)

Misappropriated plunder - FEAR Foundation Journal, vol. 1 no. 1 (Fall 2003)

NY: "Stealing from the Stealers,"  December 31, 2003, Sierra Times summary and link to NY Times article about a former senior DEA official in NY, Kevin Tamez, who was expected to be indicted for stealing $150,000 from his office's forfeiture fund.  (NY Times link requires registration.)

TENNESSEE:  "Two police supervisors indicted, Accused of allowing property room thefts,"  December 18, 2003, article by Shirley Downing, about Memphis TN police supervisors indicted for taking hush money to keep quiet about police Property Room thefts.

NEW YORK:  "A Former Drug Agency Official Faces Charges of Stealing Funds,"  December 14, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

Prosecutors want vehicles, cash and more from drug raid, December 12, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MISSISSIPPI:  "Mid-Delta lawmen split on sharing seizure bounty,"  December 12, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MISSOURI:  "Prosecutor Seeks Forfeiture Of Farm, Cars, Cash In Drug Case,"  December 12, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

SOUTH CAROLINA:  Two cops killed in shootout over state land theft, December 10, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FEAR-Talk discussion of "sneak and peak" searches, December 8, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MICHIGAN:  "Marlinga addresses '20 second rule' in memo to officers," December 6, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin, with link to news article

UTAH: "Law Enforcement Wants Seizure Revenue Back", December 5, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FLORIDA:  "$500,000 Discovered in Police Filing Cabinet", December 5, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin, with clipping from news article now gone from Jacksonville CBS channel 47 t.v. website

MISSISSIPPI (or is it GEORGIA?): "Rankin County officials seize records of police charity", December 3, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NY: Manhattan: Police seize money and steriods, November 26, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TEXAS:  Traffic stop nets a cool $5.3 million, November 23, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TEXAS:  Inspectors seize 756 pounds of bologna, November 22, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MISSOURI:  State of Missouri ex rel. Missouri State Highway Patrol, November 20, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

Justice Department guidelines on "Equitable Sharing" (a/k/a/ "Federal Adoption"), November 20, 2003, link to DOJ website

MAINE:  SWAT team seizes house and evicts Maine woman for tax debt, Alabama citizens' militia threatens to come up there and help her defend her property, November 20, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MICHIGAN:  Police save by using cash from forfeitures, November 19, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FLORIDA:  Judge rules authorities wrong to seize truck, November 18, 2003, link to article

OKLAHOMA:  Prosecutors want vehicles, cash and more, November 14, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TENNESSEE:  Guns, cash and vehicles missing from the inventory of seized evidence, November 14, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

PENNSYLVANIA: Gov't sells 89-year-old's home for tax debt, November 11, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

"We're From the Government and We're Here to Help", November 10, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

OKLAHOMA:  Who says crime doesn't pay?It does in Texas County in the Oklahoma Panhandle, November 10, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TEXAS:  Dallas cops will let you go if you if you won't fight their seizure of your goods, November 10, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

CANADA:  "Crime crackdown - Asian gangs dealt heavy blow", November 10, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEW YORK:  "Ashtrays ? the New Contraband,"  November 8, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

PENNSYLVANIA:  "Brilla didn't get his seized property back from Pettit; he has been killed", November 5, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

ALABAMA:  "Richard Scrushy Charged: Government Seeks More Than $278 Million in Forfeiture!,"  November 4, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FLORIDA:  "Hungarian Holocaust Survivors Claim U.S. Auctioned WWII Jewish Heirlooms To Fill Budget Gaps, Hide Military Looting,"  November 3, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

Russian government seizes control of oil giant Yukos, November 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

US official criticises Russians for seizing assets, November 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

Comment re: US official criticises Russians for seizing assets, November 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

PENNSYLVANIA:  "High court: Washington County, Penn., District Attorney Pettit has to pay,"  November 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

WASHINGTON D.C.: "Federal Agencies Failure to Comply with Executive Order Has Cost Taxpayers over $1 Billion,"  November 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MISSOURI:  "Police have Ingenious way of Disposing Confiscated beer,"  November 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

"CDT analyzes DOJ's Patriot Act defense website,"  October 30, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

INDIANA:  "No crime commited, punishment remains,"  October 29, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

ILLINOIS:  "Sheriff's deputy targeted drug dealers for thefts,"  October 28, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

WASHINGTON: "SAF Says Anti-Gun Missouri Police Chief Should Shelve Confiscation Plan,"  October 27, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

BBC News:  It cost more to get rid of government loot than it is worth!, October 23, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

WASHINGTON D.C.:  "In the Name of the Patriot Act: That's Ours!"  October 19, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

PENNSYLVANIA:  Police seize gambling items, money & motorcycles, October 18, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

ARIZONA: "Task Force Seizes House In Hot Springs"  October 18, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MASSACHUSETTS:  "Feds plan to seize suspected drug house,"  October 14, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

CANADA:  "Antiterrorism Law Used to Seize Cash From Fraud Ring," October 11, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

PENNSYLVANIA:  "High court: Washington County, Penn., District Attorney Pettit has to pay,"  October 8, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEW JERSEY:  "Dems hit Marchand over audit of forfeiture funds,"  October 7, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FLORIDA:  "Sarasota Cashes In On Forfeitures By Luring Drug Dealers To Area,"  October 7, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEW YORK: "City Does Good Samaritan Dirt,"  October 6, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TENNESSEE:  "Editorial 10/05: Clean up police property room mess,"  October 6, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TENNESSEE:  "FBI seizes man's home" [Memphis Property Confiscation Scandal], October 5, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TENNESSEE:  "16 charged in thefts of drugs, guns, money seized from crime suspects," October 3, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TENNESSEE:  "Memphis Police Department Theft [of Confiscated Property] Property Grows,"  October 3, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEVADA:  Re:  Six arrested in prostitution sting - Vehicles seized, October 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MICHIGAN:  "Six arrested in prostitution sting - Vehicles seized,"  October 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TENNESSEE:  Memphis Police somehow lose $thousands of confiscated property, September 30, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FLORIDA:  "Local law enforcement cashes in on forfeitures", September 30, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

"Government sells stolen property" by Ray Thomas, September 26, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

KY:  "Kentucky to sell off confiscated airport items on eBay,"  September 23, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

KY:  "Kentucky to sell off confiscated airport items on eBay" Part II, September 23, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

RHODE ISLAND:  "In year of crashes, new cruisers are needed,"  September 23, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

SOUTH AFRICA:  "Forfeiture unit swoops on 'mine syndicate,'"  September 18, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

ILLINOIS:  "Feds raid suburban drug repackager,"  September 16, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEW YORK:  "No-knock cops sued for $21 million,"  September 11, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

PENNSYLVANIA:  "Cops Accused Of Stealing Confiscated Drug Money,"  September 11, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MASSACHUSETTS:  Government finds new ways to grab assets of the deceased, August 27, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

WISCONSIN:  "Seizure of house protested - Lawyer says government was too harsh on couple,"  August 22, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FLORIDA:  "Police are addicted to lure of easy money,"  August 17, 2003, link to article

FLORIDA:  "Tampa Police Enjoying Seized Cars,"  August 9, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

PENNSYLVANIA:  "Prosecutors want assets of accused gamblers,"  August 2, 2003 link to article

OHIO:  "Feds want home where pot found,"  August 1, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEW ZEALAND:  "NZ authorities begin "chasing CASH" on the hwys & the streets,"  July 28, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

OREGON:  "Good Cop, Bad Cop, No Cop,"  July 28, 2003  FEAR-List Bulletin

OHIO:  Earl Cavin, 82 years old, loses life savings to "Compassionate Conservative Cops,"  July 24, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FLORIDA:  Please help: Florida victim of police grabbing of private property, July 24, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

SCOTLAND:  Travellers get back £59,000 grabbed by Customs'Men, July 24, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

CANADA:  Bylaw change allows seizure of skateboards, July 21, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

New book: Asset Forfeiture: A Law Enforcement Perspective, July 11, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

UTAH:  Forfeiture Lobby Propaganda Piece, July 20, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

CANADA:  Ottawa to seize grow-op houses", July 11, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEW YORK:  Deputy New York police commissioner arrested in theft from nonprofit, July 11, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

UTAH: Editorial: "Following The Money",  July 9, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

UTAH: "Law Makes Forfeitures A Hot Potato", July 4, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

FLORIDA:  "Rehearing Rejected on Groundless Cash Seizure,"  July 3, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

CALIFORNIA: "Police Spend Drug Cash,"  May 12, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

HAWAII:  "HI: Federal Forfeiture Funds On Way To Kaua'i,"  May 4, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

GEORGIA:  "Lawmakers Wonder if State is Getting its Share of Seized,"  April 26, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

"Paypal Meets the Patriot Act,"  April 15, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

NEW YORK: NYPD goes online to hock recovered stolen or lost merchandise (and confiscated!),  April 14, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MISSISSIPPI:  "$97,500 seized in traffic arrest - on I-20,"  April 10, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

GEORGIA:  "GA: Where Has All The Drug Money Gone?,"  March 27, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

GEORGIA:  "Editorial: 'Shadow' Drug Money,"  March 27, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

ENGLAND:  Law targets criminal earnings, March 26, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TEXAS:  "Officer Shows Uncertainty in Disputed Drug Cases,"  March 21, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

OHIO:  "Asset forfeiture improved by Web sales,"  March 7, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

CALIFORNIA:  "NYT Editorial: Fairness Strikes Out,"  March 7, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

"The Drug War's Cooked Books" by Paul Armentano, March 5, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

UNITED KINGDOM:  Police Given Power To Seize Criminal Assets, March 4, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TEXAS:  "Feds move to seize Bandera mansion," February 28, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

Federal police adopt new tactic: Seizing domain names, February 27, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TENNESSEE:  Deputy Worley 'screws up' - has sex with his trusted informant,  February 27, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

CALIFORNIA:  Los Angeles prostitute "trollers" lose their vehicles, February 21, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

TENNESSEE:  One of Tennessee's finest, Drug Enforcement Officer Worley, is in trouble again, February 21, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

Forfeiture Revenues drop for DOJ, February 4, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

OREGON:  Law Enforcement lobby asks court to overturn forfeiture reform initiative, February 4, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

UTAH:  State Auditor Letter Exposes Subversion of Forfeiture Reform, January 29, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

UTAH:  Forfeiture Update and Audit, January 29, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

UTAH: "State Not Getting Forfeiture Funds," January 26, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

MASSACHUSETTS:  "Forfeiture Records Often Difficult, Costly To Obtain,"  (rerun of old article) January 15, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

Customs Seized Property Goes Live!, January 3, 2003 FEAR-List Bulletin

2002

New Zealand’s "jackbooted firemen" confiscate books - FEAR Foundation Journal, vol. 1 no. 1 (Fall 2003)

Police seize vehicle due to pro-life message - FEAR Foundation Journal, vol. 1 no. 1 (Fall 2003)

Asset Forfeiture Fund slips - FEAR Foundation Journal, vol. 1 no. 1 (Fall 2003)
ARCHIVES OF EARLIER ARTICLES  - we will be filling in the gaps as time permits


1996

Another illegal dip into the Forfeiture Fund by J. Paff

Where Forfeiture Money Goes by A. Bryan

Government Accounting Office Reports on Asset Forfeiture

Bissell conviction yesterday by J. Paff

Forfeiture Opposition in Party Platform by Arnold J. Gaunt

Art World Luminaries Join Street Artists In Federal Lawsuit

The 1996 Michigan Report: "The Tarnished Badge", by Tom Flook

1995

IMAGE: Bar graph showing DOJ's annual income from asset forfeiture -- 1985 - 1994, released by Rep. Henry Hyde at Capitol Hill press conference on HR 1916, June 1995

Another NJ Forfeiture Abuse Probe by John Paff

Bissell on Channel 2 in NY

Bissell indictment owes much to work of John Paff by Brenda Grantland

Bissell Charges - Letter from U.S. Attorney's Office

NJ Prosecutor Bissell Indicted!

NJ Prosecutor Bissell in the News Again; Giuffre lawsuit

News Item/Letter to Editor POLICE SEIZE $2.1 MILLION IN PROPERTY IN 1994

Prosecutor Suffers Seizure! by John Paff

Financing Weapons for Cops

GAO Rpt from High-Risk series

1994

NY Times Mag article by Brenda Grantland

NJ Prosecutor in Hot Water!

DUELING FORFEITURE PROSECUTORS