US attorney general curtails assets forfeitures

WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has curbed the federal government’s role in a civil-asset forfeiture program involving local and state law- enforcement agencies.

Federal agencies no longer will take possession of assets seized by local or state law enforcement under state law, unless the property “directly relates to public-safety concerns, including firearms, ammunition, explosives and property associated with child pornography,” Holder said.

“The prohibition on federal adoption includes, but is not limited to, seizures by state or local law enforcement of vehicles, valuables and cash,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Justice long has allowed

local law-enforcement agencies to turn over seized

assets to the federal government and then share in the proceeds.

The program was developed at a time when most states didn’t have their own asset-forfeiture laws and didn’t have legal authority to forfeit seized assets.

“I don’t think that edict is going to have much impact around here,” said Paul J. Gains, Mahoning County prosecutor. “It’s not going to have any impact on my office.

“I can’t recall any forfeitures without evidence of a crime,” he said of cases handled by his office.

When his office gets involved in a forfeiture, it’s through a forfeiture specification attached to an indictment that contains a criminal charge or charges, he said.

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