Thread: Help with DEA forfeiture letter.

Short story.

Home was broken into in August.

Firearms were taken.

Firearms were recovered in a DEA case.

I've gotten a letter from the DEA about forfeiture.

I need help.

If you've gone through this process please share your experience.

Thanks.

Lawyer.

One that is up on firearms laws.

No personal experience.

Depending on the firearms value, I'd suggest contacting a lawyer. It would suck to get screwed out of recovering them on a technicality.

Has the loss been covered by insurance? If so they insurance co owns them I believe. Granted you might have the ability to return the compensation and get ownership back from the ins. co.

The guns in question were not paid for by insurance because they had been "recovered".

Finding a lawyer is one reason I'm here.

I'm sure that the DEA will use any possible reason NOT to return legally owned firearms to a citizen.

I'm thinking maybe you should call the DEA and ask them how to get your guns back.

A buddy of mine 20 years back got popped for selling marijuana (City of Portland) and he had a old rifle of mine, he had several cars and a jet ski along with my rifle seized. I called the DA and they made it easy, they put me in touch with a detective, all I remember is having to do was show the detective my ID and had to sign something.

1918 7mm Spanish Mauser

Your experience may differ.

Seriously a sad state of affairs if you need a lawyer to get your lawful personal possessions returned.

I had a pistol the DEA got I called them after investigation was over I got it back. Real easy just talk to them.

If they prove problematic you may want to contact your insurance company again and explain the situation - that in effect they DEA is stealing your property. Who knows they may provide some legal consultation to avoid a payoff.

Originally Posted by gunnails

I'm thinking maybe you should call the DEA and ask them how to get your guns back.

A buddy of mine 20 years back got popped for selling marijuana (City of Portland) and he had a old rifle of mine, he had several cars and a jet ski along with my rifle seized. I called the DA and they made it easy, they put me in touch with a detective, all I remember is having to do was show the detective my ID and had to sign something.

1918 7mm Spanish Mauser

Your experience may differ.

Seriously a sad state of affairs if you need a lawyer to get your lawful personal possessions returned.

Originally Posted by yotehunter

I had a pistol the DEA got I called them after investigation was over I got it back. Real easy just talk to them.

There's no phone number that I can find that allows me to actually talk to a human on this matter. It seems that the DEA doesn't actually handle these forfeiture cases. There's actually a private company that does the work for them.

this is where your NRA membership comes in, you contact the NRA leagle group, and they will help you!

Originally Posted by plumberfishes

this is where your NRA membership comes in, you contact the NRA leagle group, and they will help you!

And if you're not an NRA member, join now! Good Luck!

What kind of safe did you have your firearms in?

why should it matter what safe, he had his guns in,,,, they were in his home on his property.. i do not have a gun safe mounted in my car so if they break into it and take my gun am i wrong for not having a gunsafe in it.... and it takes nothing for a couple guys to take a small safe out with them and open it later.. so if your house is a rental, should you bolt it to th e wall,,, this is a anti gunner argument.. if they gave safes with the guns we would all have one, but some cannot afford them!

DEA Spokes person: "Sorry sir at this present time you cannot have your guns back they have been sold by Eric Holder to someone in Mexico Uh I mean......"

I'm sorry I couldn't resist. I know its bad but somebody had to say it. Sorry for the misfortune your going through good luck on getting them back.

I don't understand unless the guns have been returned to the owner. How is the insurance company NOT on the hook. If stolen from the house and later used in a crime then confiscated by the DEA exactly how has the original owner not suffered a loss?

Until those guns are back in my hands I would be all over the insurance company to make them pay. Not to mention in any real world I know about. They would have paid the claim with in a couple weeks of the theft.

This happened in AUG.

I would start by contacting the DEA about your stolen property and then find a lawyer if it becomes a problem. here is a link to some recent information on forfeiture. Proposed Rules - 2011 - Consolidation of Seizure and Forfeiture Regulations
I would contact them ASAP. it looks like they are giving you a chance to get them back. even though this is "proposed" it may give you some insight.

It took the insurance company over three months to pay the claim. But that's another matter.

Originally Posted by Streetwalker

The guns in question were not paid for by insurance because they had been "recovered".

Finding a lawyer is one reason I'm here.

I'm sure that the DEA will use any possible reason NOT to return legally owned firearms to a citizen.

Originally Posted by Streetwalker

It took the insurance company over three months to pay the claim. But that's another matter.

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So insurance did cover the loss?

If so they are the insurance companies guns?

So you want to buy them back from the insurance company or just what?

Originally Posted by gunnails

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So insurance did cover the loss?

If so they are the insurance companies guns?

So you want to buy them back from the insurance company or just what?

I thought it was pretty clear.

1. The insurance company DID NOT pay for these firearms as they have been recovered.
2. The insurance company doesn't have the firearms.
3. The DEA has the firearms.
4. I want to get them back from the DEA.

Does that make it clear enough?

Originally Posted by Streetwalker

I thought it was pretty clear.

1. The insurance company DID NOT pay for these firearms as they have been recovered.
2. The insurance company doesn't have the firearms.
3. The DEA has the firearms.
4. I want to get them back from the DEA.

Does that make it clear enough?

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No it doesn't, I am having a hard time understanding why you can not contact the DEA, I found DEA contact #s for the entire nation in 30 seconds.

Don't want to derail your thread because I'm slow, good luck friend.