WINNEMUCCA, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) -- Imagine getting pulled over for a traffic stop, and instead of getting a ticket, the officer takes your money. All of it. It happened to one man recently, who was driving on Interstate 80 through Northern Nevada. Now, he is fighting back. It's a case that focuses on our rights: Can law enforcement take your money or property, even if you are not charged with a crime? The driver was Tan Nguyen of California. He has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney. His attorney, John Ohlson said, "The basis of the stop was he was going 78 in a 75. The stop ended in a search, and the deputy took $50,000 from my client that belonged to him." Nguyen was not arrested. He was not charged with any crime. But Humboldt County Sergeant Lee Dove decided to confiscate a bundle of cash Nguyen happened to be carrying: $50,000 worth. Sergeant Dove even posed for a photo after seizing the cash. In this incident report, Sergeant Dove observed that Nguyen seemed "nervous", was "argumentative", and that the car smelled of marijuana. No drugs were found during the stop. Nguyen was not cited for doing anything illegal, although Sergeant Dove wrote in his report, "I felt he was not part of the legal traveling public," which he cited as justification for taking Nguyen's money. http://www.mynews4.com/news/local/s...ment-seizes-money/PNYbgze57kOMxTUzmepwBw.cspx They said if they thought the money was obtained illegally they can confiscate it, but they don't include anything about what led them to believe it was taken illegally. Also, if they felt it was obtained illegally, why not make an arrest? What led to the search? Did he have probable cause or consent? This deputy committed theft. He not only should be sued and fired, he should be prosecuted as well.
I knew a freind this happened too, he was a waiter and had a few hundred in cash on him, not charged with a crime, but they took his cash, he had to go to court and prove it was his and that it was not drug money
