Spokane Police Department Receives Nearly $120,000 Forfeiture Award From U.S. Department Of Justice as a Result of Forfeiture of Spokane Home Used for Methamphetamine Trafficking

Spokane, Washington – Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today and presented the Spokane Police Department with $119,621.45 in asset forfeiture equitable sharing funds. Spokane Police Chief Justin Lundgren accepted the funds, which may be used for further law enforcement purposes, on behalf of the Spokane Police Department.

The asset forfeiture funds are the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Spokane Police Department (SPD) investigation which targeted drug traffickers in the Spokane area and Eastern Washington more broadly.  

The nearly $120,000 in forfeiture funds shared with the Spokane Police Department were the result of the seizure and forfeiture of Defendant Helmut Uwe Borchert’s residence in Spokane. Helmut Borchert had a long history of drug possession and distribution in Spokane dating back to the late-1980s. In this case, Defendant Borchert used his residence to store methamphetamine to facilitate his drug trafficking of the drug in the Spokane area. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement agents seized approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine from Borchert’s home.

Borchert pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine, and was sentenced October 14, 2021, to a 12-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision. He was also ordered to forfeit his residence located at 1903 E. Main Avenue, Spokane, Washington. Following the sentence, the United States Marshals Service sold the forfeited residence, proceeds of which are now shared with the Spokane Police Department.

As a result of the same OCDETF investigation, the United States has convicted the following defendants and seized and forfeited assets from them: 

• Michael Paul Swanson, pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, and was sentenced on April 25, 2023, to a 7.5-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision. He was also ordered to forfeit $17,780 in U.S. currency seized by the United States.

• Jorge Octavio Valenzuela-Medrano, pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine, and was sentenced on February 26, 2024, to a 3-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision. The United States seized and forfeited $30,290 and a firearm from Valenzuela-Medrano.

• Leonardo Martinez is a fugitive. Notwithstanding Martinez’s fugitive status, the United States seized $72,354 and two firearms from him. On July 6, 2022, he was indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Washington for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl. The public is reminded that charges contained in an indictment are only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 

Pursuant to applicable regulations, an 80% share of the funds from the sale of Borchert’s forfeited residence are being shared with the Spokane Police Department in recognition of its significant contribution to this investigation. The shared asset forfeiture funds will assist in further crime-fighting efforts.

The Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Program is, first and foremost, a law enforcement program. It removes the tools of crime from criminal organizations, deprives wrongdoers of the proceeds of their crimes, recovers property that may be used to compensate victims, and deters crime. The Department of Justice underscores these law enforcement purposes with all federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies.

One of the ancillary benefits of asset forfeiture is sharing federal forfeiture proceeds with cooperating state and local law enforcement agencies through equitable sharing as is occurring here. The Department of Justice Equitable Sharing Program enhances cooperation between federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement by providing valuable additional resources to those law enforcement agencies.

United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref said, “Removing pounds of illicit narcotics from our community is a great victory and saves lives. Our asset forfeiture program seeks to deprive wrongdoers of the proceeds of their crimes and to compensate victims. I am pleased that these funds will assist in further crime-fighting efforts. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington commends the law enforcement officers with the DEA and Spokane Police Department who investigated this case. This investigation exemplifies the positive crime fighting results that can be achieved when federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies collaborate and work together.”

“The reason why methamphetamine traffickers, like Mr. Borchert, deal drugs dangerous to our community is to enrich themselves,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.  “Asset forfeiture is an important tool to strip traffickers of their ill-gotten gains while, at the same time, giving something back to the communities they preyed upon.  It is gratifying to see the Drug Enforcement Administration’s partnership with the Spokane Police Department result in this notable forfeiture that accomplishes these goals.”

“This case was the result of a joint DEA/SPD investigation, marked by seamless collaboration between members of SPD pro-active units, the SPD Special Investigations Unit (SIU), and DEA agents. Every member who participated in the investigation of this drug trafficking organization played an invaluable role that culminated in multiple arrests, sentencings, and the removal of dangerous drugs from the streets of Spokane,” said Chief Lundgren. “We are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for awarding SPD significant dollars which will be used to continue the effort to shut down other drug operations that threaten our community and put the vulnerable and increasingly, our children, at risk.”

Spokane Police Department

The enforcement action resulting in this forfeiture was part of an OCDETF investigation. The OCDETF program provides supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved in the investigation of drug-related crimes. This OCDETF investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration in partnership with the Spokane Police Department.

This case was prosecuted by Caitlin Baunsgard and Brian M. Donovan, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.

More information regarding the DOJ Equitable Sharing Program can be found here: DOJ Guide to Equitable Sharing.