Finders, Keepers: Stories from the Register's investigation
The Des Moines Register launched a statewide investigation into forfeitures late last year following two prominent Iowa cases that made national headlines: one involving out-of-state gamblers who claim Iowa State Patrol troopers unlawfully seized their $100,020 bankroll following a traffic stop; the other involving a nearly $33,000 seizure from the business bank account of a Spirit Lake restaurant owner accused of intentionally structuring bank deposits under $10,000 to avoid reporting requirements.
The property owners prevailed in both cases but spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees in the process.
The Register reviewed forfeiture profit-sharing receipts of all of Iowa's 99 counties and focused its review on six whose law enforcement agencies were among the most active in their use of the state's civil forfeiture law since 2009: Black Hawk, Cass, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek and Scott. In total, the Register reviewed more than 600 individual forfeiture cases.
REGISTER INVESTIGATION: Finders, keepers: Investigation of Iowa forfeitures
MARCH 29: Iowa's civil forfeiture law yields millions for law enforcement agencies, but is rated one of the nation's most unfair.
- Property seized; owners not arrested
- What really happened in Cass County?
- When enforcement gets it wrong
- Anatomy of forfeiture case outside Council Bluffs
- Trooper seizes $12K; sends pot smoker back on the road
- VIDEO: Chicago man speaks out after cash is seized
MARCH 30: Lack of transparency makes it hard to track where the money goes. Some is spent in questionable ways.
- Federal audit uncovers issues with forfeiture spending
- 'Secret investigations' hide spending details
- Forfeiture spending raises red flags across U.S.
- Branstad: Forfeiture review appropriate
MARCH 31: Some property owners question police procedures for accounting for their seized cash and other assets.
- Forfeiture fraud has popped up in past
- Branstad: Forfeiture review is appropriate
- CHAT: Reporters answer readers' questions
APRIL 5: Many agree that Iowa's civil forfeiture system is broken. What can be done to fix it?
- Are vehicles targeted for out-of-state plates?
- Forfeiture: A checklist for change
- Forfeiture advice: Know your rights
- Forfeiture reform unnecessary, some say
- Iowa forfeiture fight gets nation's attention
- Are drug dogs false accusers?
- The Register's Editorial: Remove the profit motive
COMMUNITY FORUM: The Register held a community forum to address the issue of civil forfeiture
LAWMAKER RESPONSE