1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,856
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

2
00:00:12,748 --> 00:00:14,790
I just wanted to tell you,
Officer Brown, I mean,

3
00:00:14,790 --> 00:00:17,490
you're taking money out of
my kids' mouths right now.

4
00:00:17,490 --> 00:00:17,990
I'm sorry.

5
00:00:17,990 --> 00:00:19,740
You're taking food out
of my kids' mouths.

6
00:00:19,740 --> 00:00:21,530
Like I said, we
believe right now

7
00:00:21,530 --> 00:00:23,700
that this is drug
proceeds, illicit currency.

8
00:00:23,700 --> 00:00:25,617
Well, I'm going to prove
to you that it's not.

9
00:00:25,617 --> 00:00:26,178
Perfect.

10
00:00:26,178 --> 00:00:29,664
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

11
00:00:29,664 --> 00:00:33,150
[SIREN BLARING]

12
00:00:36,138 --> 00:00:39,624
[RADIO CHATTER]

13
00:00:42,620 --> 00:00:44,750
That clip shows a
retired US marine

14
00:00:44,750 --> 00:00:47,460
being robbed of his life savings
on the side of a highway.

15
00:00:47,460 --> 00:00:51,240
He was not arrested for, charged
with, or convicted of any crime.

16
00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:52,800
He wasn't even ticketed.

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00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,340
This is a rare glimpse
into an abuse of power

18
00:00:55,340 --> 00:00:58,950
that thousands of innocent
Americans experience each year.

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00:00:58,950 --> 00:01:00,840
Through a public
records request,

20
00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,459
The Institute for Justice was
able to acquire body and dashcam

21
00:01:04,459 --> 00:01:07,010
footage of an entire
roadside seizure,

22
00:01:07,010 --> 00:01:10,280
from the initial traffic stop to
the seized money being deposited

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00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:11,100
at the bank.

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00:01:11,100 --> 00:01:14,150
This is the most complete
footage we have ever seen.

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00:01:14,150 --> 00:01:18,200
On February 19, 2021,
our client Stephen Lara

26
00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,720
was pulled over outside of Reno
by the Nevada Highway Patrol.

27
00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,410
He was driving to visit his
daughters in a small California

28
00:01:24,410 --> 00:01:26,005
town just West of Reno.

29
00:01:26,005 --> 00:01:29,262
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

30
00:01:32,570 --> 00:01:35,180
The driver of this vehicle
was following the red and blue

31
00:01:35,180 --> 00:01:37,430
semi-truck too closely,
less than a second following

32
00:01:37,430 --> 00:01:40,336
distance.

33
00:01:40,336 --> 00:01:43,551
Also driving under the
speed limit, which I thought

34
00:01:43,551 --> 00:01:44,970
was really odd.

35
00:01:44,970 --> 00:01:46,430
And I'm going to
stop him up here.

36
00:01:46,430 --> 00:01:49,160
[INAUDIBLE] a little
bit safer [INAUDIBLE].

37
00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:50,660
Make sure everything's OK.

38
00:01:50,660 --> 00:01:52,970
Yeah, initially, I
thought I was getting

39
00:01:52,970 --> 00:01:55,770
pulled over because
maybe I had expired tags.

40
00:01:55,770 --> 00:01:56,820
I had a rental car.

41
00:01:56,820 --> 00:01:59,690
Unfortunately, I had
some car trouble.

42
00:01:59,690 --> 00:02:05,180
And that was necessary to get a
rental car for a short duration

43
00:02:05,180 --> 00:02:06,950
for that weekend.

44
00:02:06,950 --> 00:02:07,680
I'm doing great.

45
00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:08,509
Hey, the reason
I'm stopping you,

46
00:02:08,509 --> 00:02:10,199
we have a special enforcement
campaign going on.

47
00:02:10,199 --> 00:02:12,140
We're trying to educate drivers
about violations they may not

48
00:02:12,140 --> 00:02:13,370
realize they're
committing but we're

49
00:02:13,370 --> 00:02:15,300
seeing a big increase
in crashes out here.

50
00:02:15,300 --> 00:02:17,040
First, applaud you
on your driving.

51
00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:18,030
You drive great.

52
00:02:18,030 --> 00:02:19,230
You're driving really slow.

53
00:02:19,230 --> 00:02:21,020
It appears that you're
trying to drive safely

54
00:02:21,020 --> 00:02:21,780
under the speed limit.

55
00:02:21,780 --> 00:02:22,440
I appreciate that.

56
00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,060
I just want to talk to about
your following distance,

57
00:02:24,060 --> 00:02:25,710
especially around
commercial vehicles.

58
00:02:25,710 --> 00:02:28,250
The Highway Patrol Officer
seems friendly and reasonable

59
00:02:28,250 --> 00:02:31,020
at first, even complimenting
Stephen's driving.

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00:02:31,020 --> 00:02:33,200
He orders Stephen
to exit his vehicle

61
00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,350
and starts asking him a series
of questions unrelated to why

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00:02:36,350 --> 00:02:37,530
he was pulled over.

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00:02:37,530 --> 00:02:39,560
Police often ask
questions like this

64
00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,200
to see if a suspect's
story lines up.

65
00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:43,465
You a fighter?

66
00:02:43,465 --> 00:02:44,192
Am I a fighter?

67
00:02:44,192 --> 00:02:45,650
Yeah, you've got
a Tapout shirt on.

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00:02:45,650 --> 00:02:48,000
[CHUCKLES] Well, I've
got a lot of training.

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00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:48,990
I'm a retired Marine.

70
00:02:48,990 --> 00:02:50,487
What do your daughters do, man?

71
00:02:50,487 --> 00:02:52,320
Ever been in trouble
law enforcement before?

72
00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:53,250
When did you leave?

73
00:02:53,250 --> 00:02:54,060
When did you leave?

74
00:02:54,060 --> 00:02:56,130
What part of Texas are you
thinking of buying a house in?

75
00:02:56,130 --> 00:02:57,713
What were you doing
for work up there?

76
00:02:57,713 --> 00:02:59,990
The officer then
explains the real reason

77
00:02:59,990 --> 00:03:01,377
he pulled Stephen over.

78
00:03:01,377 --> 00:03:03,960
Hey, while I'm working on this,
let me ask you something, man.

79
00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,477
This is going to
sound kind of weird.

80
00:03:06,477 --> 00:03:08,060
Part of my job out
here is I do what's

81
00:03:08,060 --> 00:03:09,800
called Highway Interdiction.

82
00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:11,840
I look for people that
are smuggling contraband

83
00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,840
through our state, across the
country, weapons, humans, drugs,

84
00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:17,490
illicit currency,
things like that.

85
00:03:17,490 --> 00:03:19,430
Anything in the vehicle
I should be aware of?

86
00:03:19,430 --> 00:03:19,930
Nothing.

87
00:03:19,930 --> 00:03:21,090
OK.

88
00:03:21,090 --> 00:03:21,820
No firearms?

89
00:03:21,820 --> 00:03:22,320
Nothing.

90
00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:23,050
No explosives?

91
00:03:23,050 --> 00:03:23,550
None.

92
00:03:23,550 --> 00:03:25,682
OK.

93
00:03:25,682 --> 00:03:27,140
Are there any drugs
in the vehicle?

94
00:03:27,140 --> 00:03:27,640
No.

95
00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:28,580
Cocaine?

96
00:03:28,580 --> 00:03:29,550
I don't do drugs.

97
00:03:29,550 --> 00:03:31,842
Yeah, I've got to ask all
these silly questions, right?

98
00:03:31,842 --> 00:03:32,800
There's no drugs.

99
00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:34,217
There's no weapons
in the vehicle.

100
00:03:34,217 --> 00:03:35,600
OK.

101
00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,670
Any large amounts of United
States currency in the vehicle?

102
00:03:38,670 --> 00:03:39,170
Yes.

103
00:03:39,170 --> 00:03:39,950
OK.

104
00:03:39,950 --> 00:03:44,400
What's a large amount
of US currency to you?

105
00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:45,890
Anything over $10,000.

106
00:03:45,890 --> 00:03:46,680
OK.

107
00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,185
So there's over
$10,000 in there?

108
00:03:48,185 --> 00:03:48,685
Yes.

109
00:03:48,685 --> 00:03:50,227
How much money have
you got in there?

110
00:03:50,227 --> 00:03:50,780
A whole lot.

111
00:03:50,780 --> 00:03:51,640
[LAUGHS] OK.

112
00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,060
I don't trust banks so
I keep my own money.

113
00:03:54,060 --> 00:03:55,550
Fair enough.

114
00:03:55,550 --> 00:03:58,110
Would you give me permission
to search your vehicle today?

115
00:03:58,110 --> 00:03:58,610
Yeah.

116
00:03:58,610 --> 00:03:59,940
If that's OK with you?

117
00:03:59,940 --> 00:04:00,440
Sure.

118
00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:01,550
OK, perfect.

119
00:04:01,550 --> 00:04:03,420
Although it's Stephen's
right to refuse,

120
00:04:03,420 --> 00:04:06,360
he gives the officer
permission to search his car.

121
00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:11,400
I didn't want to
come across as being

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00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,100
non-cooperative or combative.

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00:04:15,100 --> 00:04:17,560
So I did what I felt was right.

124
00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:21,940
And I was very honest,
very forthcoming.

125
00:04:21,940 --> 00:04:24,070
I was also very respectful.

126
00:04:24,070 --> 00:04:26,850
And I just wanted to make
their job as easy as possible

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00:04:26,850 --> 00:04:30,760
so that I could be on my way
to spend time with my children.

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00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,120
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

129
00:04:34,620 --> 00:04:36,240
Hey, Shane, how are you?

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00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:36,750
Good.

131
00:04:36,750 --> 00:04:38,200
Hey, can you head
out to a traffic stop

132
00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,325
or are you busy on that
other stuff going on today?

133
00:04:45,390 --> 00:04:48,300
So far, I'm still searching a
car, but a big bundle of money.

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00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:51,180
He says, probably,
at least $100,000.

135
00:04:51,180 --> 00:04:54,120
That interaction shows what's
at the heart of the officer's

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00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:55,390
interest in Stephen.

137
00:04:55,390 --> 00:04:57,700
He knows that even though
Stephen did nothing wrong,

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00:04:57,700 --> 00:05:00,240
the DEA will adopt the
seizure of his cash

139
00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:01,890
and return a
portion of the money

140
00:05:01,890 --> 00:05:04,960
to the Highway Patrol for the
favor of giving them the case.

141
00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,370
Here's how an adoption works.

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00:05:08,370 --> 00:05:12,850
When state or local police seize
cash, cars, or other property,

143
00:05:12,850 --> 00:05:15,610
federal law enforcement
takes over the forfeiture.

144
00:05:15,610 --> 00:05:17,700
The federal agency
does all the work

145
00:05:17,700 --> 00:05:21,900
and kicks back up to 80% of the
proceeds to the state agency

146
00:05:21,900 --> 00:05:23,700
that seized the property.

147
00:05:23,700 --> 00:05:25,470
In Stephen's case,
that would mean

148
00:05:25,470 --> 00:05:27,810
the DEA would take
control of the cash

149
00:05:27,810 --> 00:05:30,370
and seek to forfeit it
through federal law,

150
00:05:30,370 --> 00:05:32,250
ignoring the
important limitations

151
00:05:32,250 --> 00:05:36,010
that Nevada law places on
seizures and forfeitures.

152
00:05:36,010 --> 00:05:41,400
In 2019 alone, federal
agencies made $334 million

153
00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,970
in equitable sharing payments to
state and local law enforcement

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00:05:44,970 --> 00:05:46,000
agencies.

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00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,710
In this case, the Nevada Highway
Patrol stands to gain nearly

156
00:05:49,710 --> 00:05:54,103
$70,000 by taking
Steven's money.

157
00:05:54,103 --> 00:05:55,770
I think you're a good
guy, and I don't--

158
00:05:55,770 --> 00:05:56,530
I am a good guy.

159
00:05:56,530 --> 00:05:57,030
Yeah.

160
00:05:57,030 --> 00:05:58,860
[CHUCKLES] So how
much cash is that?

161
00:05:58,860 --> 00:05:59,710
About $100,000.

162
00:05:59,710 --> 00:06:01,172
$100,000.

163
00:06:01,172 --> 00:06:03,850
So as you know, I'm a vet.

164
00:06:03,850 --> 00:06:04,390
He's a vet.

165
00:06:04,390 --> 00:06:05,280
You're a vet.

166
00:06:05,280 --> 00:06:07,650
It's not illegal to carry
currency, have currency.

167
00:06:07,650 --> 00:06:11,430
[INAUDIBLE] It does, though,
make us ask some questions

168
00:06:11,430 --> 00:06:13,240
on why someone has $100,000.

169
00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,510
I can understand why you
don't trust banks, especially

170
00:06:15,510 --> 00:06:16,760
in this day and age right now.

171
00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,640
Stephen keeps his
savings in cash.

172
00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:19,870
Maybe that's uncommon.

173
00:06:19,870 --> 00:06:22,437
But as the officer
acknowledges, it's not illegal.

174
00:06:22,437 --> 00:06:23,770
I have nothing to hide from you.

175
00:06:23,770 --> 00:06:24,773
I appreciate that.

176
00:06:24,773 --> 00:06:25,690
Give me a few seconds.

177
00:06:25,690 --> 00:06:27,522
I'll make a couple phone calls.

178
00:06:27,522 --> 00:06:29,770
The officer first
calls his superior.

179
00:06:29,770 --> 00:06:33,905
He interrupts that call to
speak again with the DEA agent.

180
00:06:33,905 --> 00:06:36,480
Hey, Sarge, are you
on your way out here?

181
00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,610
Oh.

182
00:06:38,610 --> 00:06:39,280
OK.

183
00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:40,560
I'm waiting to hear
back from Shane

184
00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:41,727
to see if he comes out here.

185
00:06:41,727 --> 00:06:46,200
This is a strange one,
but not a strange one.

186
00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:47,510
Consented to a search.

187
00:06:47,510 --> 00:06:48,760
Said there was money up there.

188
00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,070
We located what he
says is $100,000.

189
00:06:51,070 --> 00:06:53,915
It's in a Ziploc
sandwich baggie.

190
00:06:53,915 --> 00:06:56,380
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

191
00:06:56,380 --> 00:06:57,940
I haven't gone into it a bunch.

192
00:06:57,940 --> 00:07:00,482
I'm waiting to hear back but
there's a bunch of bank receipts

193
00:07:00,482 --> 00:07:03,947
and stuff in there as well
to show the [INAUDIBLE]--

194
00:07:03,947 --> 00:07:04,780
this might be Shane.

195
00:07:04,780 --> 00:07:05,730
Hold on one second.

196
00:07:05,730 --> 00:07:06,280
Hey, this is Shane.

197
00:07:06,280 --> 00:07:07,155
Let me call you back.

198
00:07:07,155 --> 00:07:10,293
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

199
00:07:13,650 --> 00:07:16,690
Around 20 minutes later,
the officer's superior,

200
00:07:16,690 --> 00:07:20,250
a Highway Patrol Sergeant, is
recorded on his bodycam chatting

201
00:07:20,250 --> 00:07:22,950
with the same DEA
agent who apologizes

202
00:07:22,950 --> 00:07:25,620
for not being able to make it.

203
00:07:25,620 --> 00:07:26,157
No issues.

204
00:07:26,157 --> 00:07:27,490
It's too easy to do an adoption.

205
00:07:27,490 --> 00:07:30,960
We contacted you so I think
everything's going to be OK.

206
00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:33,760
And I'll text you the money
count after we get it.

207
00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:35,620
It'll probably be
a couple hours.

208
00:07:35,620 --> 00:07:38,190
Remember, there's
still no probable cause

209
00:07:38,190 --> 00:07:39,850
to seize Stephen's money.

210
00:07:39,850 --> 00:07:42,520
All the officers have is
a large amount of cash.

211
00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:44,020
And cash is not a crime.

212
00:07:44,020 --> 00:07:46,350
But the Sergeant
isn't giving up.

213
00:07:46,350 --> 00:07:50,280
So why the distrust
for the banking system?

214
00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:51,930
I just don't trust them.

215
00:07:51,930 --> 00:07:53,680
Yeah?

216
00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:54,430
It's my reasoning.

217
00:07:54,430 --> 00:07:55,510
It's my personal thing.

218
00:07:55,510 --> 00:07:57,940
Oh, I'm not trying to
convince you one or the other.

219
00:07:57,940 --> 00:07:59,290
It's not usual.

220
00:07:59,290 --> 00:08:01,230
After questioning
Stephen, the Sergeant

221
00:08:01,230 --> 00:08:04,440
speaks privately with the
officer who pulled him over.

222
00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:06,120
What are your thoughts, Chris?

223
00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:13,290
I-- kind of leaning more
towards it's odd but--

224
00:08:13,290 --> 00:08:15,100
It's odd but it's not
packaged like normal.

225
00:08:15,100 --> 00:08:15,600
No.

226
00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:17,350
And he's answering
the questions.

227
00:08:17,350 --> 00:08:19,320
There's receipts here.

228
00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:20,430
I would like to put--

229
00:08:20,430 --> 00:08:23,790
I would like to put the
dog on the currency, man.

230
00:08:23,790 --> 00:08:24,290
OK.

231
00:08:24,290 --> 00:08:27,270
The two officers agree that
Stephen has been forthcoming

232
00:08:27,270 --> 00:08:29,610
and has years worth of
bank receipts showing

233
00:08:29,610 --> 00:08:32,470
that he has withdrawn his
savings from his bank accounts.

234
00:08:32,470 --> 00:08:34,590
But the Sergeant orders
the junior officer

235
00:08:34,590 --> 00:08:37,530
to put the dog on the currency.

236
00:08:37,530 --> 00:08:40,799
The Sergeant put Stephen's
money in an open Ziploc bag

237
00:08:40,799 --> 00:08:42,960
and throws the open
package to the ground

238
00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,035
on the side of the road less
than 40 yards from Stephen's

239
00:08:46,035 --> 00:08:46,535
car.

240
00:09:08,410 --> 00:09:08,910
Nice.

241
00:09:19,290 --> 00:09:21,453
Positive alert.

242
00:09:21,453 --> 00:09:22,495
We'll go forward with it.

243
00:09:22,495 --> 00:09:23,418
Huh?

244
00:09:23,418 --> 00:09:24,460
We'll go forward with it.

245
00:09:24,460 --> 00:09:26,070
OK.

246
00:09:26,070 --> 00:09:28,110
This positive alert
appears to have

247
00:09:28,110 --> 00:09:30,090
given the Sergeant
what he thinks he needs

248
00:09:30,090 --> 00:09:32,140
to take Stephen's life savings.

249
00:09:32,140 --> 00:09:35,220
Remember, both officers
have planned all along

250
00:09:35,220 --> 00:09:37,030
to hand the money to the DEA.

251
00:09:37,030 --> 00:09:39,610
They are looking for
a legal justification.

252
00:09:39,610 --> 00:09:45,090
But numerous studies have shown
anywhere between 67% and 100%

253
00:09:45,090 --> 00:09:47,970
of US currency has
trace amounts of drugs.

254
00:09:47,970 --> 00:09:51,660
For that reason, a dog
alert to currency on its own

255
00:09:51,660 --> 00:09:54,600
does not show the currency
was used in an illegal drug

256
00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,910
transaction.

257
00:09:56,910 --> 00:09:59,380
What we're going to do, I
believe they're drug proceeds.

258
00:09:59,380 --> 00:10:00,930
Dog alerted to it.

259
00:10:00,930 --> 00:10:01,860
Drug proceeds?

260
00:10:01,860 --> 00:10:03,940
Yeah, it's very common, sir.

261
00:10:03,940 --> 00:10:06,630
We get people that are
trafficking large quantities

262
00:10:06,630 --> 00:10:10,780
of marijuana from Northern
California to all states East,

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even from Reno.

264
00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:13,715
Sir, I can tell you
right now, there's--

265
00:10:13,715 --> 00:10:16,090
I'm going to tell you exactly
what's going to happen, OK?

266
00:10:16,090 --> 00:10:17,570
We're going to seize it today.

267
00:10:17,570 --> 00:10:20,155
But that doesn't mean we're
the final judgment on it.

268
00:10:20,155 --> 00:10:21,530
It's going to go
through the DEA.

269
00:10:21,530 --> 00:10:23,780
So the DEA will contact you.

270
00:10:23,780 --> 00:10:29,982
And the DEA will provide you
with the means to fight it.

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00:10:29,982 --> 00:10:31,940
You're going to have to
provide your pay stubs.

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00:10:31,940 --> 00:10:33,610
You're going to have to
provide your other receipts

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00:10:33,610 --> 00:10:34,780
and stuff like that.

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00:10:34,780 --> 00:10:35,350
OK?

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00:10:35,350 --> 00:10:37,190
Stephen now has nothing.

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00:10:37,190 --> 00:10:41,020
He had to convince his brother
to wire him $1,000 to continue

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00:10:41,020 --> 00:10:43,540
his trip to see his daughters.

278
00:10:43,540 --> 00:10:47,012
I just want to let you know, I
know you're just doing your job.

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00:10:47,012 --> 00:10:48,470
That money, I work
pretty hard for.

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00:10:51,130 --> 00:10:54,414
The money that I have in my
jacket is only a few dollars.

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00:10:54,414 --> 00:10:57,835
I have no money to pay
for my kids' meals,

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00:10:57,835 --> 00:11:02,170
[INAUDIBLE] my hotel, or even
get that car back to Texas.

283
00:11:02,170 --> 00:11:07,780
So I know you're
just doing your job,

284
00:11:07,780 --> 00:11:10,618
but I don't know what
to do [INAUDIBLE].

285
00:11:10,618 --> 00:11:13,570
So I'm probably going to be
stuck here unless somebody

286
00:11:13,570 --> 00:11:14,670
sends me some money.

287
00:11:14,670 --> 00:11:19,418
I have no way of providing
for my children and stuff,

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00:11:19,418 --> 00:11:20,460
or getting back to Texas.

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00:11:20,460 --> 00:11:23,666
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

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00:11:23,666 --> 00:11:26,530
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

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00:11:26,530 --> 00:11:29,990
After nearly an hour and a
half on the side of a highway,

292
00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:32,110
Stephen was given
a receipt for US

293
00:11:32,110 --> 00:11:36,490
currency with a number
to call the DEA agent.

294
00:11:36,490 --> 00:11:37,467
This is all I get here?

295
00:11:37,467 --> 00:11:38,300
That's what you get.

296
00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:38,870
Yes, sir.

297
00:11:41,225 --> 00:11:42,850
You're going to get
noticed in the mail

298
00:11:42,850 --> 00:11:45,200
as well at that address, OK?

299
00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:50,710
I find it even
more so concerning

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00:11:50,710 --> 00:11:56,920
that if this could happen to
me as a combat veteran who

301
00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:03,700
served overseas in
Iraq and Afghanistan,

302
00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:05,810
this could happen to anybody.

303
00:12:05,810 --> 00:12:10,190
After six months without
his nearly $87,000,

304
00:12:10,190 --> 00:12:14,120
Stephen sued the DEA in
federal court to get it back.

305
00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,600
Only then, after The
Institute for Justice

306
00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:20,080
filed a lawsuit on his behalf,
and The Washington Post called

307
00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:24,460
the agency for comment did they
agree to return Stephen's cash.

308
00:12:24,460 --> 00:12:28,040
Stephen may have gotten back
his money but his case goes on.

309
00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:29,980
Stephen and The
Institute for Justice

310
00:12:29,980 --> 00:12:33,250
are also suing the Nevada
Highway Patrol in state court

311
00:12:33,250 --> 00:12:36,940
to make sure that this
doesn't happen to anyone else.

312
00:12:36,940 --> 00:12:40,880
Stephen's situation isn't unique
but he is one of the lucky ones.

313
00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:42,500
He will get his money back.

314
00:12:42,500 --> 00:12:45,730
Most victims of forfeiture don't
have a public interest law firm

315
00:12:45,730 --> 00:12:47,510
like IJ to take their case.

316
00:12:47,510 --> 00:12:50,410
And if they cannot afford an
attorney and cannot figure out

317
00:12:50,410 --> 00:12:52,900
how to navigate convoluted
forfeiture processes

318
00:12:52,900 --> 00:12:56,320
on their own, the government
walks away with their property

319
00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,060
without ever having
to prove any crime.

320
00:12:59,060 --> 00:13:01,610
This highway robbery must end.

321
00:13:01,610 --> 00:13:04,000
It is time to abolish
civil forfeiture.

322
00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,350
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]