Asset forfeiture is one of the most aggressive tools in modern policing: the government can seize cash, vehicles, and property based on suspicion — often before any criminal charge is filed. In practice, it can flip due process on its head. Instead of the state proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, people are forced to fight to get their own property back, sometimes in civil proceedings where the standards are lower and the costs to defend yourself are high.
That’s what happened to us time and time again. In this particular matter, I was never charged with any crime — yet the government took our money anyway. What follows is an actual Claim of Interest filed to protect our rights and to make clear that a seizure is not the same thing as guilt.
We still only received about one-third of the assets taken during this theft.
CLAIM OF INTEREST
To: City of Warren Police Department
Location: XXXX ANY ROAD, Royal Oak, Michigan
Re: Seizure of items listed below
Claimant: RYAN RICHMOND & SARAH RICHMOND
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that RYAN RICHMOND AND SARAH RICHMOND claim an ownership and/or proprietary interest in the following property seized by the Warren Police Department:
- Any and all property taken from the above-referenced residence;
- Any and all currency taken from the above-referenced residence;
- Any and all Bank of America accounts in either the name of RYAN RICHMOND and/or SARAH RICHMOND
This document is not an admission of criminal liability and should not be interpreted as such in any fashion. With regard to any illegal or illicit substances, neither Ryan Richmond nor Sarah Richmond maintain nor claim to have a possessor or ownership in any items that may fall into that category. However, at this point, over two (2) weeks from the seizures at issue, neither Ryan Richmond nor Sarah Richmond have received any notices of seizure and intent to forfeit nor any documents indicating that the government intends to seek asset forfeiture in any forum against their individual and collective properties. To avoid any claim by the government that Ryan Richmond and Sarah Richmond have not properly and timely claimed an interest in such property, both hereby file such a generalized claim and reserve the right to file a more particularized claim in the future.
___________________________________
RYAN RICHMOND DATE
____________________________________
SARAH RICHMOND DATE
