A U.S. District Court judge in Massachusetts has rejected the Justice Department’s effort to seize a family-owned motel, the Motel Caswell in Tewksbury, Mass.,
Reuters reported.
The government authorities introduced evidence that the motel was connected to 15 drug-related incidents between 1994 and 2008, the Reuters article said. The motel is owned by Russell Caswell, 69, and his wife, Patricia, 71; Russell Caswell runs the business.
In her decision, Magistrate Judge Judith Dein cited a lack of evidence that anyone from the family or any of their employees has ever been involved in criminal activity, the Reuters report said.
The judge said no one took steps to work with Caswell to reduce drug activity at the motel. She added that no effort was made to even warn about the possibility of forfeiture before the case was filed.
The 56-room budget motel primarily serves semi-permanent and transient guests, the Reuters article said. (Source: Reuters, Jan. 25, 2013.)
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