No Charges, No Justice: How One Woman Lost $8000 to the DEA

No Charges, No Justice: How One Woman Lost $8,000 to the DEA

By: sdotvenom.com

When Rochester, New York resident Cristal Starling had her home raided in 2020, she didn’t expect her life savings to disappear without ever being charged with a crime.

The raid was part of an investigation into her then-boyfriend, whom law enforcement suspected of drug activity. Though no drugs were found in Starling’s apartment and she was not arrested or charged, authorities seized $8,040 in cash they found inside. What followed was a textbook example of America’s controversial civil asset forfeiture system.

Instead of returning her money, local police turned the cash over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Under civil forfeiture laws, agencies can permanently confiscate property suspected of being connected to a crime—even if the owner is never convicted or even accused.

Starling fought back. Without a lawyer, she navigated the DEA’s administrative process and challenged the seizure. But a missed deadline in federal court resulted in the government keeping her money for good.

The Institute for Justice, a nonprofit law firm, picked up her case and used it to highlight what they argue is a broken system that disproportionately harms people who lack the resources to defend their property. According to their report, thousands of Americans lose cash, cars, and homes each year under civil forfeiture without ever stepping foot in a courtroom.

Starling’s story underscores how asset forfeiture laws can punish innocent people, particularly those without legal help. Despite never committing a crime, she lost nearly everything.

As public awareness grows around cases like hers, legal reform efforts are underway in several states. But for Starling, the damage is already done.

Source Links:

• Institute for Justice Case Summary

• Reason Magazine Report

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