Asset Forfeiture
The Assistant United States Attorneys in the Asset
Forfeiture Unit work closely with criminal prosecutors, federal
agencies and state and local law enforcement to identify and forfeit
the instrumentalities, profits and proceeds of criminal activity.
The mission of the Asset Forfeiture Unit is three-fold:
- Deter crime by depriving criminals of the financial benefit of illegal activity,
- Eliminate a criminal organization's financial ability to continue its illegal activity, and
- Restore property to victims of criminal activity as permitted by law.
The Asset Forfeiture Unit prosecutes civil and criminal
forfeiture of ill-gotten gains derived from federal crimes, including
drug trafficking, money laundering, organized crime, fraud, corruption,
immigration violations and child exploitation. The Western District
of Texas is consistently among the top districts in the United States
in forfeiture recoveries which have included airplanes, cars, residences
and cash.
Equitable sharing is an important feature of the federal forfeiture program. Equitable sharing permits forfeited property to be shared with state and local agencies assisting in the forfeiture. Through equitable sharing, forfeited funds are used to further certain state and local law enforcement efforts and programs. |
