Aurora To Explain Why It Won't Return Seized Money
(WBBM) - The City of Aurora has been ordered to return nearly $200,000 that a police officer seized from two brothers during a traffic stop, but it's refusing.
On Thursday morning, it will explain to the judge why it's ignoring his order.
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The money was seized during a traffic stop.
Jesus Martinez and his brother, Jose, had $190,040 dollars in their pick-up.
No tickets were issued.
The Chicago Tribune reports the brothers say the money was collected from family members so their father could pay off his mortgage and retire to Mexico.
They're re-modelers with no criminal records.
Aurora couldn't give a judge a good enough reason for seizing the money the judge ordered that it be returned.
But Aurora refused.
It appealed.
Again, a ruling in favor of the brothers.
Then came the letter from federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
It seized the cash as drug money.
Absolutely not true, according to the brothers' lawyer.
