Author Archive for: thelawofficeofsebastianrucci

Macomb County, Mi., Prosecutor Eric Smith, accused of embezzlement and misconduct in office over how drug and alcohol forfeiture funds were spent, resigned Monday, the Detroit Free Press reports. The announcement came less than a week after the longtime prosecutor was charged with 10 criminal counts by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office in a nearly […]

Under a civil forfeiture loophole, Missouri law enforcement agencies have diverted millions of dollars in seized assets away from a fund for public schools, instead retaining those funds for their own use. A new report by the Missouri State Auditor found that police had seized over $6.2 million worth of property in 2016. Of those […]

A South Carolina circuit court judge in Horry County has ruled the state’s civil asset forfeiture law unconstitutional, in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth, Fifth and 14th amendments. While the decision by 15th Circuit Court Judge Steven H. John doesn’t set precedent beyond his courtroom, it could set the table for a state appellate […]

Every once in a while, a criminal makes a mighty blunder when sizing up a potential mark. The same can be said of the police. Last week, federal officials agreed to return nearly $87,000 to a retired Marine sergeant after Nevada Highway Patrol officers shook him down for his cash during a February traffic stop […]