America's #1 Online Cigar Auction
first, best, biggest!

Last post 5 years ago by Abrignac. 26 replies replies.
Civil Asset Forfeiture, Worse than You Know In South Carolina
Jump to Bottom | Previous Topic | Next Topic
Gene363 Offline
#1 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 10:22 AM EST
Joined: 01-24-2003
Posts: 30,799
Do yourself a favor, don't carry more than $100 in cash, ever.

A recent article out of South Carolina shows just how bad civil forfeiture can be. The data and stats are shocking. Read the article, Taken, here:


https://www.greenvilleonline.com/in-depth/news/taken/2019/01/27/civil-forfeiture-south-carolina-police-property-seizures-taken-exclusive-investigation/2457838002/

Quote:
The Greenville News and Anderson Independent Mail examined these cases and every other court case involving civil asset forfeiture in South Carolina from 2014-2016.

Our examination was aimed at understanding this little-discussed, potentially life-changing power that state law holds over citizens — the ability of officers to seize property from people, even if they aren't charged with a crime.

The resulting investigation became TAKEN, a statewide journalism project with an exclusive database and in-depth reporting. It’s the first time a comprehensive forfeiture investigation like this has been done for an entire U.S. state, according to experts.

The TAKEN team scoured more than 3,200 forfeiture cases and spoke to dozens of targeted citizens plus more than 50 experts and officials. Additionally, the team contacted every law enforcement agency in the state.

This yielded a clear picture of what is happening: Police are systematically seizing cash and property — many times from people who aren’t guilty of a crime — netting millions of dollars each year. South Carolina law enforcement profits from this policing tactic: the bulk of the money ends up in its possession.


Steve Lehto has a video if you don't want to read the article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4TaJuRTJxg
Gene363 Offline
#2 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 10:30 AM EST
Joined: 01-24-2003
Posts: 30,799
Oh, and don't think you are safe by carrying a prepaid money card. The Oklahoma State Troopers are now using an electronic device to take that form of money as well.


Quote:
It's called an ERAD, or Electronic Recovery and Access to Data machine, and OHP began using 16 of them last month.

Here's how it works. If a trooper suspects a person may have money tied to some type of crime, the highway patrol can scan and seize money from prepaid cards. OHP stresses troopers do not do this during all traffic stops, only situations where they believe there is probable cause.

"We're gonna look for different factors in the way that you're acting,” Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lt. John Vincent said. “We're gonna look for if there's a difference in your story. If there's someway that we can prove that you're falsifying information to us about your business."

Troopers insist this isn't just about seizing cash.


http://www.news9.com/story/32168555/ohp-uses-new-device-to-seize-money-used-during-the-commission-of-a-crime
DrafterX Offline
#3 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 10:53 AM EST
Joined: 10-18-2005
Posts: 98,535
Those Bassards..!! Mad
opelmanta1900 Offline
#4 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 11:11 AM EST
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
Meh... Saw stories about this several years ago... Nothing has changed... Stay out of those states, you'll be fine...
Gene363 Offline
#5 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 12:03 PM EST
Joined: 01-24-2003
Posts: 30,799
opelmanta1900 wrote:
Meh... Saw stories about this several years ago... Nothing has changed... Stay out of those states, you'll be fine...


I used to think the same thing, however it tough when you live there and they have a very low level of cash they may take, less than $500. My wife and I were pulled over for no apparent reason, no ticket or equipment problems, just traveling down the highway on our way to a knife show. We were separated and asked all sorts of questions about where we were going an what we were going to do. I posted about it here a long time ago.
opelmanta1900 Offline
#6 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 12:07 PM EST
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
That's messed up... And there shouldn't be any state you have to just stay out of to avoid that kind of criminal activity... California, for all its flaws, has at least tried to clean up That type of corruption... #leebaca
delta1 Offline
#7 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 12:59 PM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,778
yea...I remember when local CA law enforcement agencies were running used car dealerships and pawn shops, to sell confiscated property when the owner couldn't pay the processing and storage fees...pretty sure that practice has been ruled unconstitutional...

citizens in those states should file civil suits and get their legislators to change the laws...
frankj1 Offline
#8 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 1:42 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,215
is it limited to Red States?
ZRX1200 Offline
#9 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 5:37 PM EST
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
Evil un-American practice.
Mr. Jones Offline
#10 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 8:08 PM EST
Joined: 06-12-2005
Posts: 19,419
I've known this for about 4? ++ Years....

I've seen several 20/20 stories, 60 minutes,
Other YouTube videos...

Two gamblers and professional gamblers were stopped in a state? (South Carolina of Georgia?) And they took $45 K THEY USED TO GAMBLE WITH... they fought them and got back 90% after 2 years...

Some guy was moving south in a uhaul to a new apt and job and he needed two months rent , a security deposit, utility deposits, ....it was all in 1-5-10-20 's from his waiter tips in a Tupperware container...like $4 -5 K...they took it all and said he was a drug dealer...he got it back after a major hassle and lost a lot through lawyers , fees and fines...

50% +++ of all cops are dirty cops on the take...
19-20% are psychopaths willing to entrap, throw down false drugs or guns at traffic stops or crime scenes, only 30% of all cops are honest...

100% of A.L.L. FEDERAL FBI-SSG AGENTS ARE COWARD FELON CRIMINALS AND MURDERERS...
THEY CAN STEAL ANYTHING THEY WANT CARTE BLANCHE...
NO REPERCUSSIONS...they laugh in bars out loud and scream about making innocent targeted individuals commit suicide or brag about what they stole from you in the next seat at a bar or the next table at a restaurant...

I would RATHER DEAL WITH FULL BLOWN CRIMINALS WHO HAVE A CODE OF CONDUCT , THAN TO BE HARASSED, ABUSED OR FOLLOWED BY FBI-SSG AGENTS WITH NO CONSCIENCE OR EMPATHY WHILE THEY SHAKE YOU DOWN, STEAL YOUR MONEY AND TRY TO KILL YOU WHILE DISGUISING IT AS... " AN ACCIDENT"...

FBI-SSG = SCUMBAG PSYCHOPATHIC FELON CRIMINALS

***WATCH ALL COPS FROM FLORIDA TO VIRGINIA PULLING CARS OVER ...A.L.L. TRAVELING S.O.U.T.H....

WHY YOU ASK?

They don't care about drugs going north at all...

ALL THEY WANT IS THE CASH GOING SOUTH so they can confiscate the $$$$ dollars and personally pocket at least 50% of it ( from drug runners ) or small amounts from regular people going 100% to the local police budget.
ZRX1200 Offline
#11 Posted: Fri, Feb 1 2019, 9:32 PM EST
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,582
You gotta know which hands to grease when moving $ down I-95
opelmanta1900 Offline
#12 Posted: Sat, Feb 2 2019, 10:45 AM EST
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
I hear 68% of all statistics are just invented on the spot...
Whistlebritches Offline
#13 Posted: Sun, Feb 3 2019, 11:17 AM EST
Joined: 04-23-2006
Posts: 22,128
opelmanta1900 wrote:
I hear 68% of all statistics are just invented on the spot...


More like 98.2%
RobertHively Offline
#14 Posted: Sun, Feb 3 2019, 11:11 PM EST
Joined: 01-14-2015
Posts: 1,817
Interesting article, Gene.

Since I was 17 or 18 I have known that most cops are criminals, and all of them are gang members. Their gang is state sponsored. The state gives them a costume (their colors) and a gun, they then become the foot soldiers of the organization. Their mission is to suppress the people and more importantly, to collect revenue.

I have seen, and heard of, some truly outrageous miscarriages of justice in the area of the state where we used to live, and also in the state where I grew up. The sheriffs department once stole items out of a kids grandmothers house because he had sold some pills on her property. They took all kinds of irrelevant things from her. They even stole her old ass vacuum cleaner. LOL She got her things back, eventually, but the attorneys had to go through item by item with the sheriffs dept. "Why did you confiscate her vacuum cleaner" type of questions. Ridiculous.

One of the people in the article mentioned exactly what I was thinking the entire time, they're pirates. I have often thought that politicians should have to wear the logos of the corporations that bought them, so we can all see who a particular politician really represented. Lets be real, Republican or Democrat, they're not representing the American people. It would also be more equitable to the citizens of a state/county to force these departments to place a Jolly Roger flag on the deputies cruisers . That way we an have a more accurate depiction of who these people really are, and who they represent. That will never happened though, because the leaders of the gang (judges/politicians) are the ones that make the "laws".

I'm about as conservative as you can get, so conservative that I'm liberal in the classical sense, but I dont support law enforcement. Some law enforcement are good people, but I dont support their gang any more than I support the Bloods and Crips.

Crazy world we live in. You just have to hope and pray that it doesn't happen to you.
Mr. Jones Offline
#15 Posted: Mon, Feb 4 2019, 11:31 AM EST
Joined: 06-12-2005
Posts: 19,419
#14 RH

++1

AMEN ROBERT!!

I HAD a massive response and lost it on my cell phone...
Maybe later today? I'LL rewrite it...

What happened to me over THE LAST 6 years is the
"perfect storm" to explain everything you mention...

I don't trust A.N.Y. COP WHATSOEVER...
RMAN4443 Offline
#16 Posted: Mon, Feb 4 2019, 1:16 PM EST
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
RobertHively wrote:
Interesting article, Gene.

Since I was 17 or 18 I have known that most cops are criminals, and all of them are gang members. Their gang is state sponsored. The state gives them a costume (their colors) and a gun, they then become the foot soldiers of the organization. Their mission is to suppress the people and more importantly, to collect revenue.

I have seen, and heard of, some truly outrageous miscarriages of justice in the area of the state where we used to live, and also in the state where I grew up. The sheriffs department once stole items out of a kids grandmothers house because he had sold some pills on her property. They took all kinds of irrelevant things from her. They even stole her old ass vacuum cleaner. LOL She got her things back, eventually, but the attorneys had to go through item by item with the sheriffs dept. "Why did you confiscate her vacuum cleaner" type of questions. Ridiculous.






What the hell is an "old ass vacuum cleaner"? Does it work better than one of them fancy French toilets with the hose off feature???Anxious
Does it worker on newer asses as well?Think
RobertHively Offline
#17 Posted: Mon, Feb 4 2019, 4:42 PM EST
Joined: 01-14-2015
Posts: 1,817
RMAN4443 wrote:
What the hell is an "old ass vacuum cleaner"? Does it work better than one of them fancy French toilets with the hose off feature???Anxious
Does it worker on newer asses as well?Think



I'm not sure how it works. Lol! I was speaking about pirates, but I defer to you on all issues concerning the tools used in the commission of butt piracy. Perhaps someone with your expertise could enlighten us. :)
RMAN4443 Offline
#18 Posted: Mon, Feb 4 2019, 6:07 PM EST
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
I would if I could, butt I was hoping you could en lighten us....you had me convinced you were an expert in all things "old ass"...Beer
delta1 Offline
#19 Posted: Mon, Feb 4 2019, 7:43 PM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,778
my azz was feeling pretty old last night...Super Bowl Parties are a lot of work...especially when your team loses...
MACS Offline
#20 Posted: Tue, Feb 5 2019, 6:24 AM EST
Joined: 02-26-2004
Posts: 79,747
opelmanta1900 wrote:
I hear 68% of all statistics are just invented on the spot...


98.2% of Jones' statistics fly out of his ass.
Abrignac Offline
#21 Posted: Tue, Feb 5 2019, 3:16 PM EST
Joined: 02-24-2012
Posts: 17,263
I’d say that civil asset forfeiture is as blatant an example of lack due process that one can imagine. That being said, RobertHively I’d suggest you take your tinfoil outfit off. It’s very unbecoming. As far as your assumption of the percentage of law enforcement officers who are criminals, please share your reliable source of this information.
opelmanta1900 Offline
#22 Posted: Tue, Feb 5 2019, 3:18 PM EST
Joined: 01-10-2012
Posts: 13,954
MACS wrote:
98.2% of Jones' statistics fly out of his ass.

Maybe not right away, but eventually that .8% is gonna cause a blockage....
RobertHively Offline
#23 Posted: Tue, Feb 5 2019, 5:52 PM EST
Joined: 01-14-2015
Posts: 1,817
Abrignac wrote:
I’d say that civil asset forfeiture is as blatant an example of lack due process that one can imagine. That being said, RobertHively I’d suggest you take your tinfoil outfit off. It’s very unbecoming. As far as your assumption of the percentage of law enforcement officers who are criminals, please share your reliable source of this information.



Dont play dumb with me. I went to law school too buddy. I said "I have seen, and heard of." I'm my source as far as my post is concerned, and I stand by it. You can clearly see that in my post I said the states/areas I've lived in. Maybe I should have said "In my experience most cops are criminals...." Hell, throw in lawyers too for that matter.

I didnt mention a percentage either. Statistics can be manipulated to "prove" any argument, then you can get another set of data to disprove what you just proved. If you want to know all there is to know about corruption within the corporate system, do your own research. And I mean that in a non **** way. Maybe you should put the tinfoil hat on for an evening...

I do agree agree with your statement that "civil asset forfeiture is as blatant an example of lack due process that one can imagine." That was pretty much my point too. IN MY EXPERIENCE the majority of legislators, you know, the people that crafted these civil asset forfeiture laws are lawyers, hence my statement, "hell, throw in lawyers too for that matter."
Abrignac Offline
#24 Posted: Tue, Feb 5 2019, 6:13 PM EST
Joined: 02-24-2012
Posts: 17,263
RobertHively wrote:
Dont play dumb with me. I went to law school too buddy. I said "I have seen, and heard of." I'm my source as far as my post is concerned, and I stand by it. You can clearly see that in my post I said the states/areas I've lived in. Maybe I should have said "In my experience most cops are criminals...." Hell, throw in lawyers too for that matter.

I didnt mention a percentage either. Statistics can be manipulated to "prove" any argument, then you can get another set of data to disprove what you just proved. If you want to know all there is to know about corruption within the corporate system, do your own research. And I mean that in a non **** way. Maybe you should put the tinfoil hat on for an evening...

I do agree agree with your statement that "civil asset forfeiture is as blatant an example of lack due process that one can imagine." That was pretty much my point too. IN MY EXPERIENCE the majority of legislators, you know, the people that crafted these civil asset forfeiture laws are lawyers, hence my statement, "hell, throw in lawyers too for that matter."



Didn’t go to law school, but I’ve been a LEO for more than 15 years. As such, I’m probably a touch hyper-sensitive when folks start saying a large portion of officers are criminals. Too be sure, like any other profession there’s corruption in our ranks. However, with us more so than any other group the baby gets thrown out with the bath water.

That being said, my tolerance level for dirty officers is pretty much non-existent.
RobertHively Offline
#25 Posted: Tue, Feb 5 2019, 6:42 PM EST
Joined: 01-14-2015
Posts: 1,817
Abrignac wrote:
Didn’t go to law school, but I’ve been a LEO for more than 15 years. As such, I’m probably a touch hyper-sensitive when folks start saying a large portion of officers are criminals. Too be sure, like any other profession there’s corruption in our ranks. However, with us more so than any other group the baby gets thrown out with the bath water.

That being said, my tolerance level for dirty officers is pretty much non-existent.



Well congrats to you for being a man of principle, and for making it 15 years in the system. Seriously.

I couldnt hack it. Too depressing. I was young so I went in a different direction.
Abrignac Offline
#26 Posted: Tue, Feb 5 2019, 9:17 PM EST
Joined: 02-24-2012
Posts: 17,263
RobertHively wrote:
Well congrats to you for being a man of principle, and for making it 15 years in the system. Seriously.

I couldnt hack it. Too depressing. I was young so I went in a different direction.


Retired after 12 years. Reserve now. Couldn’t be happier. Have many honorable friends still serving.

I also, enjoyed handcuffing a corrupt POS I once called a friend a few years before I retired. He was completely off the radar so know one knew until he was offered up on a plate by someone looking to cut a deal for himself. He pled and was sentenced to 7 years. Had he lost at trial he was staring down 40. I think that arrest was more important than any of the others hundreds of people I arrested in my career.
Users browsing this topic
Guest
Back to Top