DEA agent Brendan Darcangelo of Palm Beach County, Florida has been arrested for his alleged involvement in a DUI car crash that damaged another vehicle and injured two people.
Darcangelo faces charges of driving under the influence with property damage and driving under the influence with injury to others. It is unclear if he has acquired the services of an attorney.
A year after a Michigan doctor was acquitted of criminally overprescribing medication, a judge has ordered that the $6.2 million in assets seized during the investigation be returned to him.
Dr. Joseph Edwin Oesterling of Saginaw in Central Michigan had been accused of running a “pill mill,” a term used by investigators to describe a doctor who inappropriately gives out medication, often for non-medical reasons.
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Josh Gingerich of Yuba City in northern California buys and flips trucks for a living. On a buying trip in February, the DEA stopped Josh at the airport and confiscated the $29,000 in cash he was carrying. Josh was not arrested, nor did he commit any crime. Despite this, the DEA is refusing to give his money back.
Law enforcement was able to take Josh’s money using a process called civil asset forfeiture. This is a legal procedure where property or cash can be seized if it has been suspected of involvement in a crime. As it is a civil and not a legal procedure, in most states property owners do not need to be charged with a crime before their property may be taken.
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Reacting to the push from the Department of Justice under Jeff Sessions to increase federal power over civil asset forfeiture, Congress seems to be pushing back. A bipartisan effort to peel back the federal government’s civil asset forfeiture programs is gaining traction with Congress members.
At a time when disagreements between the two major parties has led to a federal government shutdown, it’s surprising to see some agreement on major policy reform. But a bipartisan push from two Representatives from different parties and regions of the United States could just be the tip of the iceberg in federal civil forfeiture reform.
Dr. Willem Ouw of Broward County, Florida was arrested last week for allegedly running a “pill mill” from his medical office. Ouw, 84, faces charges for dispensing a controlled substance without authorization by law, conspiracy to dispense oxycodone, and attempting to dispense oxycodone, morphine, and amphetamine. It is unclear if he has acquired the services of an attorney.
Three of Ouw’s employees, Sarah Shoopman of Orange County, Belafonte “Quincy” Byard of Broward County, and Donna Licata of Broward County, were also arrested. They are being charged with one count of conspiracy to dispense a controlled substance without authorization by law. If found guilty, they each face a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison. News sources did not name attorneys for them.
Criminal Defense and Civil Forfeiture Blog