• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
Jerry Johnson, a North Carolina resident and owner of a small trucking company, stands with a semi in the background.

Police Forced to Return Tens of Thousands of Dollars Confiscated from Innocent Trucker in 2020

March 26, 2023
Nonprofit Funded By Chinese Gov’t-Linked Entities Backs Blue State’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Climate Law

Nonprofit Funded By Chinese Gov’t-Linked Entities Backs Blue State’s ‘Unconstitutional’ Climate Law

May 31, 2025
Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP’s Midterm Silver Bullet

Why On-And-Off Voters Who Backed Trump May Be GOP’s Midterm Silver Bullet

May 31, 2025
MICHAEL LUCCI: US Multinationals Must Exit China

MICHAEL LUCCI: US Multinationals Must Exit China

May 31, 2025
CASEY RYAN: Loudoun County Is Back In The Election Year Headlines Again

CASEY RYAN: Loudoun County Is Back In The Election Year Headlines Again

May 31, 2025
DAVID BLACKMON: Did Trump And Hochul Just Swap An Offshore Wind Farm For A Pipeline?

DAVID BLACKMON: Did Trump And Hochul Just Swap An Offshore Wind Farm For A Pipeline?

May 31, 2025
Father Of DJ Daniel Gives Heartbreaking Health Update About Son

Father Of DJ Daniel Gives Heartbreaking Health Update About Son

May 30, 2025
Appeals Court Blocks Trump’s Push For Mass Federal Firings

Appeals Court Blocks Trump’s Push For Mass Federal Firings

May 30, 2025
Musk Leaves DOGE With a Black Eye — Literally 

Musk Leaves DOGE With a Black Eye — Literally 

May 30, 2025
Campaign Board Fines Cuomo $675,000 While Awarding Millions To Opponent

Campaign Board Fines Cuomo $675,000 While Awarding Millions To Opponent

May 30, 2025
Dem Claim That Trump Tariffs Would Cause Prices To ‘Soar’ Crumbles Due To Positive Economic News

Dem Claim That Trump Tariffs Would Cause Prices To ‘Soar’ Crumbles Due To Positive Economic News

May 30, 2025
‘Highly Partisan Person’: Trump Sends National Portrait Gallery Director Packing

‘Highly Partisan Person’: Trump Sends National Portrait Gallery Director Packing

May 30, 2025
Jasmine Crockett Tries To Describe Democrats’ ‘Playbook’ On The Fly. It Doesn’t Go Well

Jasmine Crockett Tries To Describe Democrats’ ‘Playbook’ On The Fly. It Doesn’t Go Well

May 30, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Saturday, May 31, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home FaithTap

Police Forced to Return Tens of Thousands of Dollars Confiscated from Innocent Trucker in 2020

by Western Journal
March 26, 2023 at 9:18 am
in FaithTap, News
237 15
0
Jerry Johnson, a North Carolina resident and owner of a small trucking company, stands with a semi in the background.

Jerry Johnson, a North Carolina resident and owner of a small trucking company. (@Dan Alban / Twitter)

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A North Carolina man’s almost three-year-long battle to get his own money back has reached a victory — but the fight isn’t over yet.

Jerry Johnson, a Charlotte resident who owns a small trucking company, flew into Phoenix, Arizona, in August 2020 with $39,500 to buy a truck at auction, according to The Arizona Republic.

He said he brought the money in cash to avoid fees he would be charged for withdrawing it from a bank that wasn’t his usual institution, the Republic reported.

However, at Sky Harbor International Airport, Johnson was questioned about the cash — $7,000 in his carry-on luggage and $32,500 in boxes that he had checked.

According to the Republic, police did not accept Johnson’s story that he was a businessman making a purchase. One officer filled out a form and told Johnson he could sign it or spend the night in jail, the Republic reported.

Johnson signed the form, but told the Republic he did not understand it. It was a waiver form, acknowledging the money was not his, the newspaper reported.

Police seized the money, claiming Johnson could be a drug courier, according to KPNX-TV in Phoenix.

Johnson was never charged with a crime, and when he first tried to get his money — which was intended to buy a third truck to add to his two-truck operation, according to The Arizona Republic — a trial court dismissed his effort.

After that, the Institute for Justice, a non-profit law firm with an extensive track record of fighting civil forfeiture cases, took on Johnson’s case, according to an Institute for Justice news release.

The Arizona Court of Appeals has sided with Johnson, saying his due process rights were violated.

Today, @IJ #forfeiture client Jerry Johnson *finally* got his savings back from @MaricopaCounty, 31 months after an August 2020 seizure @PHXSkyHarbor (& 10 months after we won his case on appeal.)

We’re still fighting for statutory interest & attorney fees, but this is a start! pic.twitter.com/V82tUvNDQm

— Dan Alban (@DanAlban) March 18, 2023

“I’m sorry if it seems harsh that the state should actually have to come forward with evidence before it takes people’s money away at the airport,” Judge Peter Swann said, according to the Republic.

Eventually, the state moved to dismiss the case and paid Johnson $40,298, which included his original sum and a tiny amount of interest.

Should the government be able to simply keep whatever it wants if you are arrested?

Completing this poll entitles you to our news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Yes: 1% (3 Votes)
No: 99% (408 Votes)

In the news release, Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Dan Alban called the Johnson case an example of the injustice of civil forfeiture law.

In May 2021, then-Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed a law overwhelmingly passed by the state House and Senate to reform the state’s civil forfeiture law to make it more difficult for officials to seize individuals’ property, according to The Associated Press.

But Johnson’s case lingered on.

“Jerry’s case potently illustrates the injustice of civil forfeiture even when someone ultimately gets their property back,” Alban said in the news release.

[ic_related]

“It took 31 months for Jerry to finally get his savings back even though he was never even charged with a crime. In the middle of the COVID pandemic, Jerry had to find a way to keep operating his small trucking business after its working capital was seized,” he said.

“Jerry still needs to be made whole,” he said.

Johnson received less than 0.8% in accrued interest and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office would not pay the attorney fees Johnson racked up before the Institute for Justice took his case.

“This would leave Jerry uncompensated for the years his money was locked away and for what he paid out-of-pocket to an attorney before IJ took on his case,” the Institute for Justice release stated.

The Institute for Justice said it pursuing to get Johnson reimbursed for all of the money he has spent on the case.

“It took 31 months for Jerry to finally get his savings back even though he was never even charged with a crime… We’re glad that the money has been returned, but Jerry still needs to be made whole.”

—IJ Senior Attorney @DanAlban#CivilForfeiturehttps://t.co/mX9URZ0xYu

— Institute for Justice (@IJ) March 21, 2023

“It’s a blessing to finally have my savings back so that I can invest it in my business,” Johnson said in the release.

“That the government could take my money, never charge me with a crime but hold onto my savings for so long is outrageous. It created a tremendous financial burden for me and my family, and there were a lot of business opportunities I’ve missed out on because that money was just sitting in a government account,” he said

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

Tags: Arizonabusiness and moneyCivil Asset ForfeitureU.S. News
Should the government be able to simply keep whatever it wants if you are arrested?

Completing this poll entitles you to our news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Yes: 1% (3 Votes)
No: 99% (408 Votes)
Share196Tweet123
Western Journal

Western Journal

Advertisements

Top Stories June 10th
Top Stories June 7th
Top Stories June 6th
Top Stories June 3rd
Top Stories May 30th
Top Stories May 29th
Top Stories May 24th
Top Stories May 23rd
Top Stories May 21st
Top Stories May 17th

Join Over 6M Subscribers

We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th