U.S. Attorney Heap Announces Over Three Million Dollars Disbursed in Equitable Sharing to Local Law Enforcement Partners and Federal Agencies

SAVANNAH, GA: Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, today announced that, based on joint criminal investigations conducted by federal, state, and local partners in the Southern District of Georgia, the federal government has disbursed $3,072,605 in equitable sharing of forfeited assets to over 50 local law enforcement partners and federal agencies for the 2025 fiscal year. “The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the FBI, DEA, IRS, USPIS, and our local and state law enforcement partners, worked diligently to locate and forfeit these assets,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “These ill-gotten gains included cash, money in bank accounts, and real estate, and were connected to a wide variety of criminal activity, including domestic and international drug trafficking, illegal pill mills, money laundering, and wildlife trafficking. Once taken from the hands of criminals, these funds will now be used to enhance South Georgia law enforcement departments and investigations.” The following local and state law enforcement partners received proceeds from forfeited assets, which were seized by the FBI and DEA: Appling County Sheriff’s Office Atkinson County Sheriff’s Office Baker County Sheriff’s Office Blackshear Police Department Burke County Sheriff’s Office Camden County Sheriff’s Office Chatham County Police Department Chatham County Sheriff’s Department City of Alpharetta Police Department City of Douglas Police Department City of Pooler Police Department City of San Jose Police Department Clay County Sheriff’s Office Coffee County Sheriff’s Department Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Dekalb County Police Department Effingham County Sheriff’s Office Fernandina Beach Police Department Florida Department of Law Enforcement Georgia Bureau of Investigation Georgia Department of Community Supervision Georgia National Guard Georgia Ports Authority Police Department Glynn County Police Department Glynn County Sheriff’s Office Green Cove Springs Police Department Greenwood Police Department Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office Gwinnett County Police Department Heard County Sheriff’s Office Jacksonville Beach Police Department Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office Jonesboro Police Department Laurens County Sheriff’s Office Liberty County Sheriff’s Office McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office Mesa County Sheriff’s Office Metter Police Department Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Oconee District Attorney’s Office Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Redwood City Police Department Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Riverdale Police Department Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department Santa Clara Police Department Savannah Police Department Spalding County Sheriff’s Department Taliaferro County Sheriff’s Office Treutlen County Sheriff’s Office Ware County Sheriff’s Office; and Waycross Police Department “Asset forfeiture ensures that criminals do not profit from their crimes, while directly strengthening the law enforcement agencies that protect our communities,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Through close collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners, the FBI is committed to dismantling criminal enterprises and reinvesting seized assets into the tools, training, and resources needed to keep South Georgia safe.” The Department of Justice’s (Justice) Asset Forfeiture Program encompasses the seizure, forfeiture, and disposition of assets that represent the proceeds of, or were used to facilitate, federal crimes. The Attorney General exercises statutory authority to manage the Program. See 28 U.S.C. § 524(c)(1) (establishing the Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF), managed by the Attorney General). One of the ancillary benefits of asset forfeiture is the potential to share federal forfeiture proceeds in appropriate cases with cooperating state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies through equitable sharing. The Program enhances cooperation among federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement by providing valuable additional resources to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies assisting with investigations into violations of federal laws. However, the Program is designed to supplement and enhance, not supplant, appropriated agency resources.