Assets seized in New York in 2016 in criminal cases
Law enforcement authorities reported receiving more than $28 million in assets in 2016 seized as the result of state criminal proceedings and another $2.6 million in federal cases. These assets are used in a variety of ways, according to the state, including “funding investigations and prosecutions, reimbursing agencies for the purchase of contraband during the course of an investigation, and paying restitution.” Some of the assets are given to the state Office of Victim Services and others to the state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. You can read more here.
Here are details on the value of assets seized in 2016. Click on the charts for details, and see the table below for all the data. Posted on Sept. 29, 2017.
LI ranks high in state seizures . . .
In 2016, the district attorneys in Nassau and Suffolk together accounted for nearly 40 percent of the $28 million in assets seized in criminal cases under state laws. They ranked second and third, respectively, in the state, behind asset-rich Manhattan (New York County). Here are the top 10 authorities.
. . . and in federal cases. . .
Of the seven authorities that seized assets under federal statutes, Long Island’s two district attorneys accounted for nearly 80 percent of the $2.6 million gathered statewide in federal criminal cases. They ranked first and second statewide in this category.
. . . as well as in seizing automobiles
The two counties combined got nearly two-thirds of all the cars seized in the state, 91 out of 139. They ranked first and third in this category.
The details for 2016 asset seizures
| Authority | Assets under state law | Assets under federal law | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronx County DA | $143,288.08 | ||
| Broome County DA | $29,607.00 | ||
| Chautauqua County DA | $50,860.65 | 1 | |
| Cheektowaga Police Dept. | $110,707.82 | 2 | |
| Chenango County DA | $3,460.00 | ||
| Clinton County DA | $12,369.00 | 2 | |
| Cortland County DA | $4,250.00 | 1 | |
| Dutchess County DA | $300,527.00 | ||
| Erie County DA | $236,917.73 | $150,059.47 | 2 |
| Fulton County DA | $29,921.27 | ||
| Jefferson County DA | $22,521.85 | ||
| Kings County DA | $40,796.50 | ||
| Montgomery County DA | $57,913.83 | ||
| Nassau County DA | $7,162,376.21 | $357,647.57 | 78 |
| New York County DA | $13,664,105.59 | ||
| Niagara County DA | $56,311.97 | ||
| NYC Special Narcotics Prosecutor | $380,049.16 | ||
| Oneida County DA | $34,815.80 | ||
| Onondaga County DA | $7,934.00 | ||
| Orange County DA | $179,358.63 | 4 | |
| Orleans County DA | $3,007.00 | ||
| Otsego County DA | $25,333.00 | ||
| Putnam County DA | $53,170.70 | 23 | |
| Queens County DA | $1,334,245.01 | ||
| Rennselaer County DA | $68,742.38 | ||
| Saratoga County DA | $11,191.91 | ||
| Schuyler County DA | $77,467.10 | ||
| Seneca County DA | $20,650.00 | 11 | |
| Suffolk County DA | $4,112,444.61 | $1,781,275.46 | 13 |
| Warren County DA | $143,269.88 | $24,500.00 | 2 |
| Washington County DA | $15,554.00 | ||
| Wayne County DA | $2,495.00 | ||
| Westchester County DA | $308,034.57 | $121,335.66 |
Where the money goes
Here is how the money seized in 2016 was distributed to the district attorney, police agencies and drug programs. Funds were not necessarily allocated in the year they were distributed. In the bar chart, small amounts of money to reimburse for purchases of contraband were included in the “police” category but left separate in the table below.
| Claiming Authority | Nassau County DA | Suffolk County DA | Statewide |
|---|---|---|---|
| To general funds for investigations | $2,502,073.31 | $1,224,106.67 | $8,908,632.41 |
| To drug treatment programs | $2,223,944.58 | $1,088,094.89 | $6,816,398.70 |
| To district attorney’s office | $1,043,929.44 | $569,468.79 | $7,381,483.21 |
| To general fund for prosecutions | $834,167.10 | $408,035.63 | $2,972,606.62 |
| To police agencies | $348,011.44 | $189,727.95 | $4,588,117.16 |
| Paid for damages/restitution | $161,600.21 | $505,636.68 | $3,750,027.29 |
| Reimbursement for contraband purchase | $3,409.79 | $20,924.00 | $30,410.79 |
Source: New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services
Interactive charts via amCharts.com