A small county in Nebraska named Seward is becoming well-known for its use of a process called civil forfeiture. It allows the police to seize cash and other assets without ever charging or convicting individuals for a crime. Over the last decade, it’s cost motorists millions of dollars.
According to one study, Seward County is responsible for one-third of all the civil forfeiture cases in Nebraska over the last ten years. That’s despite the fact that it has a population of just 17,692. Over just the past five years, it’s raked in over $7 million through the process which is second only to Lancaster County, population 550,000+.
A part of that value comes from situations where a person is convicted of a crime and their assets are seized and sold. In many cases though, it comes from motorists that are initially pulled over for minor traffic offenses. One such case is that of Christopher Bouldin.
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Bouldin was pulled over for following too closely. On his way to Colorado, Bouldin was carrying some $18,000 in cash which police found. According to him, authorities told him that he could either surrender the cash or go to jail for charges associated with drug running. Further, he alleges that they threatened to tow his van and take his dog to the pound.
“They were trying really hard for me to sign that,” Bouldin said to the Flatwater Free Press, the source that conducted the study. “I was planning on going to the casino and gambling, and just having a good vacation, possibly buying a car out there,” he said. Notably, it’s legal to travel with any amount of cash.
While Bouldin’s account is simply anecdotal, the entire report from the Flatwater Free Press is incredibly in-depth and worth a read. It highlights many similar accounts including one with a man who forfeited $14,000 and said on the record “I know you’re going to take the money and let me go, so just get it done. I’ve been through this with Homeland Security before, so just give me the disclaimer.” There’s no doubt that drugs do indeed run along Interstate 80 but whether or not this is the best solution remains up for debate.
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