District Attorney Donates Forfeiture Funds

District Attorney Hicks Presents Join Together Northern Nevada With $10,000 Drug Forfeiture Fund Donation

Reno, Nevada

July 13, 2016

Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks presented a $10,000 donation to representatives of Join Together Northern Nevada (JTNN) at yesterday’s Prescription for Addiction Town Hall meeting held at the University of Nevada Reno.  Funding for this donation originated from the Office’s forfeiture account and was donated to support JTNN’s mission to reduce the impact of substance abuse on the community.  This donation comes at a time when the growth of opioid drug abuse is being recognized locally and community partnerships are expanding efforts in Washoe County to address the problem.  

According to JTNN, Tuesday’s Town Hall was organized as a conversation about prescription drug abuse.  Topics addressed included prescription opioid abuse, how to combat and overcome the ensuing addiction, the susceptibility of an adolescent’s brain to substance abuse and addiction, and law enforcement’s role in prevention.     

According to Jennifer DeLett-Snyder, JTNN Executive Director, “since its inception, Join Together Northern Nevada has been dedicated to reducing the impact of substance abuse on the community through educational programs, awareness campaigns, and providing access to K-12 evidence-based prevention programming. JTNN is continually seeking new ways to provide information to community members and we thank District Attorney Hicks for his Office’s generous donation. ”

In commenting on his office’s donation DA Hicks said “the legal forfeiture of drug proceeds is an effective way to combat drug distribution in our community.  The disruption of drug dealers ill-gotten financial gains is that much sweeter when we can then use that money to assist important drug prevention organizations like JTNN.”

Funding for the donation comes from a Federal DEA forfeiture account, which consists of money seized in connection with drug cases.  The funds are secured by the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office and can in turn be used to support local drug prevention efforts.