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Loophole lets Seward County seize millions from motorists without convicting them of crimes

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A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.

Loophole lets Seward County seize millions from motorists without convicting them of crimes

Alert Top Story Editor's Pick Topical

Loophole lets Seward County seize millions from motorists without convicting them of crimes

Seward County civil forfeiture

A Seward County deputy monitors eastbound traffic May 24 on Interstate 80 just east of the 322nd Road overpass.

ERIC GREGORY, Flatwater Free Press

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NATALIA ALAMDARI Flatwater Free Press

Seward County routinely seizes money from motorists on Interstate 80, keeps the cash – and never convicts the drivers of a crime.

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Louis Rulli, University of Pennsylvania law professor.

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Crime-courts

How this civil forfeiture story was reported

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Seward County Sheriff Mike Vance

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Dan Alban

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Daniel Stockmann

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Christopher Bouldin’s $18,000 zipped into an evidence bag, after Seward County deputies searched his rental van and found the rolled up cash. Bouldin challenged the forfeiture up to the Nebraska Supreme Court, but ultimately lost his money. At least three drivers who had money seized by the sheriff’s office allege that some of their cash disappeared during those traffic stops.

Christopher Bouldin, courtesy photo

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Crime-courts

A look at three civil forfeiture cases in Seward County

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Most dangerous cities in Nebraska

Dangerous Cities in Nebraska

See how your hometown ranks among the most dangerous cities in Nebraska. Ratings have been determined according to the number of violent crimes per 1,000 people in cities of at least 10,000, with violent crime being classified as murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. The numbers are for 2019, the most recent year for which the FBI provides data.

6. South Sioux City

With 30 violent crimes in 2019 and a population of 12,771 (the smallest on our list), the city in northeast Nebraska had 2.35 violent crimes per 1,000 people.

Photo: An RV park in South Sioux City on the Missouri River. 

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

5. Scottsbluff

The city of 15,862 had 53 violent crimes for a rate of 3.34 per 1,000 in 2019.

Photo: Gering Police Officer Jordan McBride talks with Scottsbluff Police Officer Michael Modeac as he puts up crime scene tape at the scene of an armed standoff in Scottsbluff in June 2021. 

STAR-HERALD FILE PHOTO

4. North Platte

With a population of 23,705 and 89 violent crimes, the city had a rate of 3.75 per 1,000.

Photo: Union Pacific train engines line up outside a service building in North Platte.

FILE PHOTO

3. Lincoln

The Star City had a population of 291,128 with 1,115 violent crimes, a rate of 3.83 per 1,000.

Photo: Police in Lincoln investigate a shooting near the intersection of 14th and E streets in August 2019. 

JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO

2. Grand Island

With a population of 51,821 and 236 violent crimes, the largest of the Tri Cities had a 2019 rate of 4.55 per 1,000 people.

Photo: Grand Island police and State Patrol personnel investigate after a body was found in a Grand Island yard in August 2020. 

GRAND ISLAND INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO

1. Omaha

In 2019, the state's largest city at 470,481 people had 2,833 violent crimes for a rate of 6.13 per 1,000.

Photo: Omaha police and University Police guard the entrance to the Nebraska Medicine Emergency room after an Omaha police officer was shot at Westroads Mall in March 2021. 

WORLD-HERALD FILE PHOTO

The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraska’s first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.

REFER

INSIDE: Read about several cases and about how this civil forfeiture story was reported. Pages A6-A7.

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Seward County civil forfeiture

A Seward County deputy monitors eastbound traffic May 24 on Interstate 80 just east of the 322nd Road overpass.

Christopher Bouldin’s $18,000 zipped into an evidence bag, after Seward County deputies searched his rental van and found the rolled up cash. Bouldin challenged the forfeiture up to the Nebraska Supreme Court, but ultimately lost his money. At least three drivers who had money seized by the sheriff’s office allege that some of their cash disappeared during those traffic stops.

Louis Rulli, University of Pennsylvania law professor.

Seward County Sheriff Mike Vance

Daniel Stockmann

Dan Alban

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