Pubdate: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 Source: Daily Journal-Messenger, The (SC) Copyright: The Daily Journal-Messenger 2002 Contact: http://www.dailyjournalmessenger.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1911 Author: Amanda Rylander Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) BURKHART FILES LAWSUIT ON STATE, COUNTY, INDIVIDUALS ANDERSON - "This isn't going to interfere with the continuation of our investigation," Oconee County Sheriff's department special investigations Lt. Donnie Fricks said about the lawsuit filed against the sheriff's department, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Divisions and the individual agents. Janice Burkhart, widow of suspected 20-year drug cartel leader William "Ronnie" Burkhart, filed suit in Anderson County, claiming the involved agents and their respective agencies ruined her reputation by filing requests for accountability statements on more than $390,000 in cash. In 2000, federal Drug Enforcement Agency warrants were filed on Burkhart's property and liquid assets, which totaled more than one million dollars in cash and lakefront properties. During that time, federal court judge Ross Anderson placed deadlines on agents for forthcoming arrests, insisting that he would release the seizure warrants and subsequent case information to local authorities. When authorities went to a Georgia bank to actually obtain the money, however, the money was gone. Burkhart denied having any knowledge of the missing money. Later, she pleaded guilty to charges of lying to federal agents and concealing seizure property. The U.S. Attorney's office failed to meet the deadlines, therefore the case was handed down to SLED and Anderson and Oconee counties' sheriff's departments. Until that time, the U.S. Attorney's office only attempted to seize cash, which totaled nearly $393,000. Local agencies, however, felt they had sufficient evidence to pursue the cash as well as the property and seizure warrants, which were subsequently issued. The cash, though, was eventually passed onto the Code Law Firm, Fricks said, minus $50,000. Eventually, the entire balance was accounted for, but now all of the money has been "spent." The departments have stated they want to know on what and when the nearly $400,000 was spent, and they want documentation. After the request for accountability was processed, Burkhart's lawyers at Code Law Firm filed suit against the agencies and individual agents. The 130-page suit, containing dozens of pages of transcripts from an April 2001 federal court hearing, alleges that the involved agents went outside the scope of their duties while performing a search of Burkhart's Clemson Forest home, and that the agents deliberately tried to ruin her reputation. Complaints about an Anderson County investigation are also cited, but Fricks said that case was dismissed and has nothing to do with this realm of the investigation. "It's a very complicated case," he said. "I've been working on it for years. But this won't hold me, the investigation will go on, and more arrests will be made." He would not comment on any particulars about additional arrests. "We are not stammered by this," Fricks said. "We've performed this entire investigation above the board." No date has been set for preliminary hearings. Burkhart is requesting punitive damages, but no specific amount is stated. ANDERSON - "This isn't going to interfere with the continuation of our investigation," Oconee County Sheriff's department special investigations Lt. Donnie Fricks said about the lawsuit filed against the sheriff's department, Anderson County Sheriff's Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Divisions and the individual agents. Janice Burkhart, widow of suspected 20-year drug cartel leader William "Ronnie" Burkhart, filed suit in Anderson County, claiming the involved agents and their respective agencies ruined her reputation by filing requests for accountability statements on more than $390,000 in cash. In 2000, federal Drug Enforcement Agency warrants were filed on Burkhart's property and liquid assets, which totaled more than one million dollars in cash and lakefront properties. During that time, federal court judge Ross Anderson placed deadlines on agents for forthcoming arrests, insisting that he would release the seizure warrants and subsequent case information to local authorities. When authorities went to a Georgia bank to actually obtain the money, however, the money was gone. Burkhart denied having any knowledge of the missing money. Later, she pleaded guilty to charges of lying to federal agents and concealing seizure property. The U.S. Attorney's office failed to meet the deadlines, therefore the case was handed down to SLED and Anderson and Oconee counties' sheriff's departments. Until that time, the U.S. Attorney's office only attempted to seize cash, which totaled nearly $393,000. Local agencies, however, felt they had sufficient evidence to pursue the cash as well as the property and seizure warrants, which were subsequently issued. The cash, though, was eventually passed onto the Code Law Firm, Fricks said, minus $50,000. Eventually, the entire balance was accounted for, but now all of the money has been "spent." The departments have stated they want to know on what and when the nearly $400,000 was spent, and they want documentation. After the request for accountability was processed, Burkhart's lawyers at Code Law Firm filed suit against the agencies and individual agents. The 130-page suit, containing dozens of pages of transcripts from an April 2001 federal court hearing, alleges that the involved agents went outside the scope of their duties while performing a search of Burkhart's Clemson Forest home, and that the agents deliberately tried to ruin her reputation. Complaints about an Anderson County investigation are also cited, but Fricks said that case was dismissed and has nothing to do with this realm of the investigation. "It's a very complicated case," he said. "I've been working on it for years. But this won't hold me, the investigation will go on, and more arrests will be made." He would not comment on any particulars about additional arrests. "We are not stammered by this," Fricks said. "We've performed this entire investigation above the board." No date has been set for preliminary hearings. Burkhart is requesting punitive damages, but no specific amount is stated. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager