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Arreola v. Orange County

This case arose from the government’s seizure of over a half-million dollars from plaintiff’s bank account.  The claimant , Armando Arreola, owned an import/export business in Mexico.  While in Orange County on business he opened a bank account in which he eventually deposited over $500,000.00.  This money was intended for the purchase of a large Caterpillar bulldozer which he was going to export to Mexico.  Most of the deposits into the bank account were made in cash, with all of the proper paperwork filled out.  The Orange County Sheriff’s Department was notified of Arreola’s large cash deposits by the bank.  Law enforcement then conducted surveillance on Arreola and eventually arrested him for alleged drug dealing and money laundering.  They also confiscated all of the money in Arreola’s account.  Interestingly, they did not press criminal charges against him because there were never any drugs found. Rather, they took his passport and sent him back to Mexico. 

Because he was unfamiliar with our legal system, he missed an important deadline to file a claim for return of the money.  He eventually hired Estey & Bomberger, LLP to pursue his matter.  Stephen Estey was able to have the default set aside and the case heard on the merits.  Even though the District Attorney did not have any hard evidence connecting the money to drugs they were unwilling to give the money back to Arreola.  The case went to trial and the trial court somehow found a nexus between the money and drug dealing.  Mr. Estey appealed the matter and, on appeal, the appellate court reversed the trial court’s decision and ordered the money returned to Arreola.