Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Several members of the rap band Lockboyz are trying to stop the forfeiture of more than $ 114, 000 in cash that police believe are proceeds of drug sales.
Two investors filed affidavits on Monday in the case claming that they have loaned the Russellville-based band more than $ 70, 000 in investment capital.
The state of Arkansas initiated forfeiture proceedings against Joseph Neal Stueart, 22, after detectives with the 4 th Judicial Drug Task Force on June 4 found more than $ 114, 000 in a safe at a residence where he was staying.
The detectives were assisting the Washington County Probation and Parole Office with a home visit at 4190 Zion Valley Drive in Fayetteville when Stueart consented to opening the safe, according to police reports.
Stueart was arrested after officers found a. 38-caliber handgun on a nightstand near a bed in the home. He has been charged as a felon in possession of a firearm.
Stueart told police officers the money was leftover from when he got arrested in Russellville for selling marijuana, according to the complaint for forfeiture filed by the state. Police also seized ledgers and logbooks from the safe.
Russell Wood, a Russellville attorney representing Stueart, said the gun was found in the nightstand in the room of his client's roommate and that it did not belong to his client. The band members and Stueart are all related, he said.
Wood said police officers seized the money "with no evidence of illegal activity."
"They have no credible evidence to support the seizure," he said. "They simply took the money because they believed that they did not think they should have that much money in a safe."
"The money is owned by the band," Wood said. "It's loaned money from investors."
Seven petitioners- Jason Butler, Ray Smith, R. J. Vanhook, Mike Fresh, Tracy Stiger, Tristian Stewart and A. J. Lewis - joined Stueart in an answer filed Monday saying the wrongly seized money belongs to the band. In the answer, they also accused task force detectives of "fabricating statements "attributed to Stueart.
Channing Butler, the owner of Hogg Wild Entertainment, said in an affidavit that he has invested more than $ 40, 000 with the group and that he has the band under a five-year recording contract. Butler is employed with the Red River Army Depot and currently stationed in Iraq.
Shelia Butler claims in an affidavit that she loaned more than $ 30, 000 to the band.
"I have personal knowledge that Jason Butler and the (others ) have been collectively saving their money since high school to support their musical aspirations and to ensure sufficient capital to buy recording studio time and press CD's should they be dropped from their label," Butler stated in the affidavit.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Copyright: 2008 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Contact: NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source
Website: NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source
Two investors filed affidavits on Monday in the case claming that they have loaned the Russellville-based band more than $ 70, 000 in investment capital.
The state of Arkansas initiated forfeiture proceedings against Joseph Neal Stueart, 22, after detectives with the 4 th Judicial Drug Task Force on June 4 found more than $ 114, 000 in a safe at a residence where he was staying.
The detectives were assisting the Washington County Probation and Parole Office with a home visit at 4190 Zion Valley Drive in Fayetteville when Stueart consented to opening the safe, according to police reports.
Stueart was arrested after officers found a. 38-caliber handgun on a nightstand near a bed in the home. He has been charged as a felon in possession of a firearm.
Stueart told police officers the money was leftover from when he got arrested in Russellville for selling marijuana, according to the complaint for forfeiture filed by the state. Police also seized ledgers and logbooks from the safe.
Russell Wood, a Russellville attorney representing Stueart, said the gun was found in the nightstand in the room of his client's roommate and that it did not belong to his client. The band members and Stueart are all related, he said.
Wood said police officers seized the money "with no evidence of illegal activity."
"They have no credible evidence to support the seizure," he said. "They simply took the money because they believed that they did not think they should have that much money in a safe."
"The money is owned by the band," Wood said. "It's loaned money from investors."
Seven petitioners- Jason Butler, Ray Smith, R. J. Vanhook, Mike Fresh, Tracy Stiger, Tristian Stewart and A. J. Lewis - joined Stueart in an answer filed Monday saying the wrongly seized money belongs to the band. In the answer, they also accused task force detectives of "fabricating statements "attributed to Stueart.
Channing Butler, the owner of Hogg Wild Entertainment, said in an affidavit that he has invested more than $ 40, 000 with the group and that he has the band under a five-year recording contract. Butler is employed with the Red River Army Depot and currently stationed in Iraq.
Shelia Butler claims in an affidavit that she loaned more than $ 30, 000 to the band.
"I have personal knowledge that Jason Butler and the (others ) have been collectively saving their money since high school to support their musical aspirations and to ensure sufficient capital to buy recording studio time and press CD's should they be dropped from their label," Butler stated in the affidavit.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Copyright: 2008 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Contact: NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source
Website: NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source
