Opinion
5:21-CV-0204
09-13-2021
United States of America, Plaintiff, v. $50,480 in United States Currency, Defendant.
ORDER
THOMAS J. McAVOY, Senior United States District Judge
On February 22, 2021, the United States filed a Verified Complaint for Forfeiture in Rem. Dkt. 1. Pursuant to Rule G(4)(a)(iii)(B) of the Supplemental Rules for Admiralty or Maritime Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions, public notice of this action was published on an official government forfeiture site (www.forfeiture.gov) for 30 consecutive days, beginning on March 2, 2021. Dkt. 7. In accordance with General Order #15(I)(C), the Government represents that all known potential claimants have been served, see Stack Aff. ¶ 5; neither a verified claim nor an answer have been filed in the action and the time to file a claim and answer has expired, id. at ¶ 3; and no potential claimant is known to be an infant, incompetent, or presently engaged in military service, id. ¶ 2. On May 6, 2021, the Clerk of the Court entered a Certificate of Default. Dkt. 9. On May 6, 2021, the United States moved for a Default Judgment and a Final Order of Forfeiture in this case. See Dkt. 10 (Motion); 11 (Certificate of Service). No. opposition to the motion has been filed.
Upon consideration of the United States' Motion for a Default Judgment and a Final Order of Forfeiture pursuant to Rule 55(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and General Order #15 of this Court, it is hereby
ORDERED that the Motion, Dkt. 10, is GRANTED, and it is further ORDERED that Judgment of Default be entered against the defendant property, and it is further
ORDERED that the defendant property is hereby forfeited to the United States, and it is further
ORDERED that any claims to the defendant property are hereby forever barred. IT IS SO ORDERED.