Unclaimed Money

By: Amanda McGill

Posted: $formattedDate

Folks working inside the Flying J in Gretna had no idea there were $2 million in a van in their parking lot Tuesday morning. One worker even saw the Patrol there questioning the two van renters.

Shawn Henry says, "I walked out here at 11:30 and there was a red van here with people standing around and sheriffs going through bags.

Suspicious behavior by its two occupants led an officer to ask to search the van. That's when officers found several bags filled with money. The two men said they had no idea how the money got there.

There were no warrants or outstanding criminal charges against them, so officers let them go.

Investigator, Major Don Brausey, explains, "There is no criminal violation just for the mere fact of having cash itself, even if it’s a large amount of cash."

The men could only be charged if there was a direct link between them and a crime, like if the money was from a bank robbery. If the money is drug proceeds, the men would not be charged because they would not be linked to an actual crime. The money would just go towards drug enforcement purposes.

The State Patrol is waiting for someone or a bank to claim the money. In the meantime, they are investigating where the money might have come from. If they can't figure it out, the money will be divided between agencies which show a legitimate claim to it.

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