Importers of plants and plant products have good reason to be concerned about running afoul of the Lacey Act given the uncertainty created by 2008 amendments making violations of foreign law regarding plants a basis for violations under the Act. …
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Monthly Archives: January 2012
No Strings Attached: The Latest Expansion of the Lacey Act
Posted in Uncategorized
Enforcing the drug laws, VA sheriffs become addicted to cash
While Virginia lawmakers ponder a mediocre and possibly unconstitutional set of reforms to Virginia’s asset forfeiture law, two Virginia sheriffs face prosecution over their abuse of forfeiture funds. Yesterday in Halifax County, investigators served search warrants at a fourth bank,…
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Tagged with: Guy Abbott, Halifax County, Middlesex County, Scott Bullock, Scott Meiner, Sheriff, Stanley Noblin, Virginia
Posted in Drug War, states
Posted in Drug War, states
“Should you seize the diamond rings?” Ohio prosecutor John Ferro explains Ohio’s forfeiture law
John Ferro, the prosecuting attorney for Stark County, Ohio, gave the following presentation on asset forfeiture under Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code Title 2981) at the 2011 Law Enforcement Conference held by Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine. The presentation is here (it…
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New York’s Horrific Forfeiture Proposal
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has presented a bill to amend New York forfeiture laws as part of his 2012-2013 budget proposal. We categorically oppose the bill. The worst part of the bill would allow courts to forfeit any property…
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Tagged with: A9255, Andrew Cuomo, civil forfeiture, Criminal Forfeiture, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., Ernestine Ward Cofield, New York, S6255
Posted in states
Posted in states
“The sheriff can do whatever he wants with his money”
We’ve covered the prosecution and sentencing of Joe Frank Garza, the Texas prosecutor (79th district) who was ostracized for spending over $2 million dollars from his personal forfeiture slush fund. Now, an audit has revealed that the local sheriff’s office…
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Tagged with: Balde Lozano, Brooks County, equitable sharing, Joe Frank Garza, Texas
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Virginia’s Ill Conceived Reforms
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has announced support for proposed legislation from Virginia Senator Bill Carrico (SB325 and SB326, the Ensuring Proper and Streamlined Procedures for Virginia’s Asset Forfeiture Laws). The proposed legislation does not appear to provide anything particularly likeable for…
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Tagged with: Article VIII Section 8, Bill Carrico, Bob McDonnell, civil asset forfeiture, equitable sharing, Institute for Justice, Literary Fund, Nuevo Renacer, SB 325, SB 326, unconstitutional, Virginia, § 19.2-386.14, § 3.2-5139
Posted in federal, states
Posted in federal, states
The Motel Caswell and the Red Carpet Inn
The Tewksbury, MA Police Department and the US Attorneys Office are persisting with a civil asset forfeiture claim of the Motel Caswell. They allege that controlled substance violations and numerous narcotics investigations are tied to Russell Caswell’s property. The investigations…
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Tagged with: CAFRA, civil asset forfeiture, Eric Holder, Henry Hyde, Institute for Justice, Motel Caswell, NACDL, Red Carpet Inn, Russell Caswell, Tewksbury Police, Thomas M. Casey
Posted in Drug War, federal
Posted in Drug War, federal
A warning to California Landlords
Despite complying with the directives of the Office of the US Attorney, Mr Farshid Ezazi is still facing the loss of his property by civil forfeiture. Ezazi was pressured into evicting the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana (MAMM) by the Office of US Attorney,…
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Tagged with: California, civil forfeiture, Farshid Ezazi, Landlord, Melinda Haag, MMJ, Office of the US Attorney
Posted in federal, states
Posted in federal, states
US Attorney Ronald Machen on his office’s budget: “Don’t ask, we won’t tell”
Continuing in the tradition of unelected bureaucrats who operate with virtual independence from the confines of democratic governance or even the boundaries of the law comes United States Attorney Ronald Machen of the US Attorney’s Office of the District of…
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Another member of SCORE to plead guilty of theft
Third member of elite Kansas City Kansas police unit, SCORE, scheduled to plead guilty next week to stealing from suspects during raids. Agents from SCORE were accused of pilfering property from suspects-adding their personal touch to forfeiture. Members of the…
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Tagged with: Darryl M. Forrest, Dustin Sillings, Jeffrey M. Bell, Kansas City Police Department, score
Posted in states
Posted in states
Piracy in Virginia
The Washington Post recently ran an editorial denouncing the treatment of Victor Ramos Guzman and the process by which Mr Guzman and the parishioners of his church, Nuevo Renacer, were relieved of their money by the Virginia State Police. We recommend…
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