Oregon Statutes - Chapter 131 - Preliminary Provisions; Limitations; Jurisdiction; Venue; Criminal Forfeiture; Crime Prevention - Section 131.597 - Disposition and distribution of forfeited property when seizing agency is the state.

(1) After the seizing agency distributes property under ORS 131.588, and when the seizing agency is the state or when the state is the recipient of property forfeited under ORS 131.550 to 131.600, the seizing agency shall dispose of and distribute property as follows:

(a) The seizing agency shall pay costs first from the property or its proceeds. As used in this subsection, “costs” includes the expenses of publication, service of notices, towing, storage and servicing or maintaining the seized property under ORS 131.564.

(b) After costs have been paid, the seizing agency shall distribute to the victim any amount the seizing agency was ordered to distribute under ORS 131.588 (4).

(c) Of the property remaining after costs have been paid under paragraph (a) of this subsection and distributions have been made under paragraph (b) of this subsection, the seizing agency shall distribute:

(A) Three percent to the Asset Forfeiture Oversight Account established in ORS 475A.160;

(B) Seven percent to the Illegal Drug Cleanup Fund established in ORS 475.495 for the purposes specified in ORS 475.495 (5);

(C) Ten percent to the state General Fund;

(D) Subject to subsection (5) of this section, 40 percent to the Department of State Police or the Department of Justice for official law enforcement use; and

(E) Forty percent to the Drug Prevention and Education Fund established in ORS 430.422.

(2)(a) Any amount paid to or retained by the Department of Justice under subsection (1) of this section must be deposited in the Criminal Justice Revolving Account in the State Treasury.

(b) Any amount paid to or retained by the Department of State Police under subsection (1) of this section must be deposited in the State Police Account.

(3) The state may:

(a) With written authorization from the district attorney for the jurisdiction in which the property was seized, destroy any firearms or controlled substances.

(b) Sell the forfeited property by public or other commercially reasonable sale and pay from the proceeds the expenses of keeping and selling the property.

(c) Retain any vehicles, firearms or other equipment usable for law enforcement purposes, for official law enforcement use directly by the state.

(d) Lend or transfer any vehicles, firearms or other equipment usable for law enforcement purposes to any federal, state or local law enforcement agency or district attorney for official law enforcement use directly by the transferee entity.

(4) When the state has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with one or more political subdivisions under ORS 131.591, or when a law enforcement agency of this state has entered into an agreement with another law enforcement agency of this state, an equitable portion of the forfeited property distributed under subsection (1)(c)(D) of this section must be distributed to each agency participating in the seizure or criminal forfeiture as provided by the agreement.

(5) The property distributed under subsection (1)(c)(D) of this section, including any proceeds received by the state under an intergovernmental agreement or under an agreement between state law enforcement agencies, must be divided as follows:

(a) When no law enforcement agency other than the Department of Justice participated in the seizure or forfeiture, or when the Department of Justice has entered into an agreement under subsection (4) of this section, the property must be deposited in the Criminal Justice Revolving Account.

(b) When no law enforcement agency other than the Department of State Police participated in the seizure or forfeiture, or when the Department of State Police has entered into an agreement under subsection (4) of this section, the property must be deposited in the State Police Account.

(6) The seizing agency may sell as much property as may be needed to make the distributions required by subsection (1) of this section. The seizing agency shall make distributions to the Asset Forfeiture Oversight Account and the Illegal Drug Cleanup Fund that are required by subsection (1) of this section once every three months. The distributions are due within 20 days of the end of each quarter. Interest does not accrue on amounts that are paid within the period specified by this subsection. [2005 c.830 §17]

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Last modified: August 7, 2008