Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510160055
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
U.S. Attorney Robert Crouch said that was more than $3 million higher than the office's previous record year, 1993.
The money comes from the seizure of assets from people accused of crimes and the collection of criminal fines and payments such as defaulted student loans and overdue payments to federal agencies. Most of the $6.3 million went back to the agencies owed the money or into the U.S. Treasury's general fund.
Although better known for prosecuting federal crimes, the U.S. attorney's office also serves as a "collection agency on behalf of the taxpayers," Crouch said.
The office, part of the Department of Justice, has about 50 employees in its Roanoke, Charlottesville and Abingdon locations; its budget last year was about $2.3 million, Crouch said.
Although not expected to be self-supporting, "We do take some pride in matching or exceeding what our operating budget is," he said.
Part of the reason for the increase is that the four-person financial litigation unit responsible for collecting funds was understaffed until last year. And no particular attorney was assigned to represent the government's interests in bankruptcy court until Assistant U.S. Attorney Alonzo Long was hired in August 1994. When someone who owes money to the IRS or another federal agency files bankruptcy, Long represents that agency in bankruptcy court to ensure that the United States' interests are heard.
But Crouch credits much of the increase to a new, nationwide emphasis on collecting the $50 "special assessment" that all people convicted of a crime must pay for each count on which they're found guilty. The money goes to the national Crime Victims Fund, which pays for counseling and medical treatment for victims and grants to programs that help crime victims.
While the assessments are mandatory, prosecutors know that if they don't get the money immediately upon a conviction, the cost of collecting can easily exceed the amount owed. So assistant U.S. attorneys who prosecute criminal cases are being reminded to collect the fees promptly, Crouch said.
A good portion of the $6.3 million "is pretty much $50 and $100 payments from a lot of people," said John Corcoran, civil chief for the office.
Seizure of assets - usually property and cars - that the government believes were used in the commission of a crime or bought with profits from illegal activities netted the office $2.9 million last year. Most of that was drug-related, Crouch said.
The government can seize property - in a civil procedure separate from any criminal charges - even if the accused is found not guilty, although forfeiture often is something the jury is asked to decide at trial. Money from the sale of seized assets usually goes back to the agencies that seized them.
Corcoran said the office has set up lock boxes at banks so people can mail their payments directly to the bank. The office also recently began accepting payment by credit card.
"We've reached a point where we're pretty much state-of-the-art amongst U.S. attorney's offices as far as collection," Crouch said.
by CNB